White Dolphin

Shogun TV Presents: 5SSW J Grand Prix 2020 Night 2 Wednesday/Week 4/June/2020 Karasuno High School Gymnasium Kyoto, Japan --- The show opens up with a video package and good little rock n roll theme for the J Grand Prix, narrated by Kaiya Kuwahara. Tonight's action is broken down, and then the announcers welcome us to the show and give us the pre-show highlights. Perfectly acceptable start to the show. Rating: 70 --- --- vs. MAYA vs. Miwako Katsukawa Big-time group match here, as both need a win to have any chance of getting out of this group past the more experienced veterans they're in with. Miwako comes out guns blazing to get a result, while MAYA goes for a more measured, sustainable technical approach. Miwako seems to just overwhelm MAYA at points, proving too fast for the technician, but MAYA hangs in there and absorbs whatever creative move Miwako throws at her. Several unique kicks and a headscissors drive MAYA into the corner, but MAYA evades a one bounce Bronco Buster and proceeds to hit some rolling back suplexes to take back control. MAYA threatens with several armbars and assorted European catch wrestling chicanery, but Katsukawa makes the ropes and keeps pressing. The clash of technique and speed continues, with both girls making headway until Miwako takes charge near the end with some big flips and kicks. A Pele kick and a beautiful old-school headscissors send MAYA into the corner, and Katsukawa places her up top looking for a Superplex......only for MAYA to shove her off the ropes and then jump onto Katsukawa's shoudlers, transitioning into a Triangle Choke! Katsukawa scrabbles and fights hard..... and makes the ropes! Referee Odaka breaks them apart, but MAYA tries to reapply the chok-suprise jackknife pin from Katsukawa! 1......2.....NO! MAYA kicks out, but then rises up into the Katsukawa Bomb (Sunset Flip Powerbomb) outta nowhere! 1......2.......3! Big win for Katsukawa to get on the board for points in the J Grand Prix! Result: Miwako Katsukawa def. MAYA via pinfall at 14:31 Rating: 74 --- Post-match, Miwako Katsukawa cuts a nice fired-up promo, as shes happy over her win and knows that if she can win two more, she can punch her ticket to the semifinals. Katsukawa is hyped for the challenge and is ready for the next match right away. Rating: 72 --- vs. HEART Saitoh vs. Yu Hashimoto Despite a good story in this match that suits Saitoh down to the ground, something is just off about this match from the getgo. Two relatively younger wrestlers tried hard with less crowd support and had a good match, but these two skilled veterans with more crowd support can't seem to get out of second gear. A lot of the match is Yu Hashimoto laying a beating on Saitoh, brutalizing her with strikes and throwing her around the ring with reckless abandon. Saitoh fights back with determination and athleticism, taking a beating but persrvering throughout, but it feels like both girls are working at three quarters-speed in this one and going through the motions a bit. Things pick up in the middle portion, as Hashimoto batters Saitoh in the corner with strikes, gutwrench suplexes her, and then hits the End Game (Spinning Backhand Blow to the Jaw)! 1......2......NO! Saitoh kicks out! Hashimoto is furious at this, and pounds on Saitoh some more to take out her frustrations. Bus Driver Uppercut gets 2. Spinning Gutwrench Suplex gets 2. Front Suplex gets 2. Hashimoto loads up for another End Game, but Saitoh ducks it and starts firing away for the comeback! Leaping Clotheslines! Flying Forearms! Back Brain Kick! Saitoh goes up for the big Flying Tiger Knee (Top Rope Busaiku Knee) and connects it, but hits it a little too hard and Hashimoto is sent rolling to the outside! Hashimoto staggers to her feet, as Saitoh recovers in the corner, having landed hard. Hashimoto beats the count back in at 18, but before either woman can make a final effort to win the match WE ARE DESPERATELY OUTTA TIME, as the match hits the 15 minute time limit for a draw! Result: HEART Saitoh and Yu Hashimoto drew at 15:00 when the time limit expired Rating: 69 --- Post-match Yu Hashimoto is backstage cutting an angry promo on herself for failing to get the win, and Yu badly wants to improve her performances afterwards. Rating: 61 --- vs. Megumi Nakajima vs. Alicia Strong Everyone in the building knows this has massive implications for Group B, so the crowd is up for this match. Nakajima looks fired up, while Strong looks calm and focused, and the match goes from there. Nakajima takes the fight to Strong early instead of feeling her out, and Strong makes her pay for it by picking her apart in the initial mat wrestling sequence. Nakajima bails to the outside, slaps her face a bit, and shifts her focus in the match. Instead of Strong countering everything, the two fight fairly evenly. Nakajima takes to the air whenever she feels like mixing things up, but we do come to find out that Strong is faster over the course of the match, and gradually Strong starts getting the better of the technical exchanges too...... Nakajima to her credit shows no quit and keeps plugging away, fighting from underneath and surviving Strong's offensive. Eventually, Strong misses a leg lariat off the top, and Nakajima starts her comeback! Hurricanrana into the corner! Double Knees to the back! Exploder Suplex! 1......2.....NO! Strong kicks out! Nakajima hauls Strong to the top rope for the Exploder Superplex, but Strong shoves her off! Top Rope Legdrop from Strong! 1......2......NO! Strong keeps control as the crowd gets into it, and revs up for the Strong Arm Tactic (Running Elbow to the Temple), but Nakajima grabs the arm! Nakajima Crossface (Modified Arm Trap Crossface)! Strong fights her way out of it and makes the ropes, but Nakajima pulls her back! Strong makes the ropes, Nakajima pulls her back, and Strong somehow manages to stand up in the hold and stuns Nakajima with a Reverse STO! Strong then busts out her secondary finsih, the Angel Driver (OwenDriver '97)! 1......2.......3! Strong gets the key 2 points to take the lead in Group A! Result: Alicia Strong def. Megumi Nakajima via pinfall at 14:33 Rating: 80 --- Post-match, Alicia Strong cuts a victory promo, praising Nakajima for being a real test and looking forward to the rest of the competition she has to beat to win the Grand Prix. Rating: 67 --- vs. Shiori Jippensha vs. Fuyuko Higa Crowd is also up for this one. Higa and Jippensha have had a weird relationship in recent times, with Higa seeming to want Jippensha on her side for something, while Jippensha has been mostly resistant to join Higa. This match is fine on a technical level, but a closer glance reveals that its Jippensha holding up her end of things and more, while Higa seems to be going 70% and seems frustrated over something...... The early lockups are won conclusively by Jippensha, who pushes Higa around and threatens with several armbars and a Buffalo Sleeper, before Higa fights her way out of it, only to get outwrestled again and sent fleeing to the outside. Higa bangs the ring apron in what seems to be more than the usual amount of frustration, before psyching herself up and getting ready to go back at it again. Jippensha wins technically, but then Higa starts mixing in some strikes and takes back control. Higa beats Jippensha from pillar to post, striking her with kicks, slaps, and mocking Kitozon chops, whipping Jippensha into the guardrail, all the while taking frequent breaks to shout at Jippensha and the audience. Even though Higa's not trying as hard as nromal, she's still at least doing a great job heeling it up and getting heat from the crowd, who badly want Jippensha to win and shut her up once and for all. It doesn't happen, although Jippensha comes close. Jippensha eventually recovers from Higa's brawling to land a sequence of Back Suplexes, as things start to pick up pacing-wise. Jippensha goes for the Execution Day (Scoop Brainbuster), only for Higa to counter into the Perfection Sweep (Skull Crushing Finale), only for Jippensha to counter that with a Twisting Full Nelson Slam! 1......2......NO! Higa kicks out! Jippensha keeps on the attack though, and tries softening up Higa for the Execution Day....surprise Small Package from Higa! 1......2.....NO! Higa takes the pace now and beats down Jippensha with flashy strikes and slams, and then goes for the Higa Green Driver (Emerald Flowsion Kai), only for Jippensha to slip out! Jippensha tries to pick a leg for the Jippensha Leglock (Grapevine Ankle Lock), but Higa holds on to the ropes and viciously kicks her! Jippensha keeps grabbing at the leg, but can't get it, as WE ARE DESPERATELY OUTTA TIME and the match is ruled a draw! Result: Shiori Jippensha drew with Fuyuko Higa at 15:00 when the time limit expired Rating: 83 --- Post-match, Jippensha is seen kicking the steel steps outside in frustration, before we cut to Higa backstage. Higa is a bit low-key, and is merely is disappointed with the draw. It won't affect things though, as she'll win every other match anyways en route to the GP win. Higa then implores Jippensha to see the light, and make a decision soon on who she wants to be friends with, before its too late......... Rating: 63 --- OVERALL SHOW GRADE: 79 ATTENDANCE: 466

2020 J GRAND PRIX STANDINGS GROUP A: Nakajima 1W-0D-0L-2Points Strong 1W-0D-0L-2Points MAYA 0W-0D-0L-0Points Arihyoshi 0W-0D-1L-0Points Katsukawa 0W-0D-1L-0Points GROUP B: Jippensha 1W-0D-0L-2Points Higa 1W-0D-0L-2Points Saitoh 0W-0D-0L-0Points Oonishi 0W-0D-1L-0Points Hashimoto 0W-0D-1L-0Points BRIEF OOC NOTES: Some of these predictions look pretty interesting compared to what I have written out, particularly Group B which will be an absolute car crash (Don't go back editing tho or you'll be DQed). Thanks to everyone who chimed in with predictions though! Once again I need to figure out some damn way to shorten these match writeups, or just go short on the matches with no storyline that score the same rating as a match with storyline. Tempted to go cliff's notes for the tour TV shows but I have interesting stuff happening often on them. We'll see what Joshimania brings us. Lot of fun random tags on pre-shows involving stuff like that 8-man that scored a 72, although I could probably run a dozen test sims and book like 4-5 different undercards each time. I've got a vague win list and lose list and in-between list and everything just sorta falls into place. Higa Hashimoto was such an awkward match to write with an awkward setup. I've done heel/heel before I think, but Higa should not be suited to fighting bigger monsters at all, unless they're faces beating her up forever before either winning or losing narrowly, which didn't suit the match here. Oh well. Next card will be next week, anywhere from Monday to Thursday idk. Day 2 GP matches will see Katsukawa/MAYA, Hashimoto/Saitoh, Strong/Nakajima and Higa/Jippensha!

Shogun TV Presents: 5SSW J Grand Prix 2020 Night 1 Saturday/Week 3/June/2020 Shohoku Academy Gymnasium Kobe, Japan --- We open the first night of the J Grand Prix with a rockin' video package narrated by 5SSW VP Kaiya Kuwahara, followed by the announcers welcoming us to the show, going over the 4 match card, and showing quick highlights of the dark matches. A good opening to the show, with a well-done video package and voiceover. Rating: 70 --- --- vs. Fuyuko Higa vs. Yu Hashimoto The J Grand Prix kicks off with two heels, and two heels friendly with each other at that, going at it in a pretty tough and wild battle. The crowd sides with Hashimoto throughout, booing Higa unmercifully from her entrance onwards. The two shake hands before going at it. Higa respects Hashimoto's power and plays hit and run early, but Hashimoto tracks down Higa and corners her, working her over with sharp little uppercuts and big throws. Higa breaks free at various points and tries chopping at Hashimoto's legs with dropkicks, but it's a slow process. Hashimoto doesn't feel it at first, and gets some close moments. Multiple Gutwrench Suplexes get 2. Flashbang Corner Clothesline gets 2. Big throwing German Suplex gets 2. Hashimoto presses hard, but Higa bails to the outside and tries running around the ring, turning and ambushing Hashimoto at several points, trying to get anything she can in offensively. Higa has Hashimoto down and stomps on her legs and any other body part she can deal damage to, but Hashimoto roars and catches her in a rising tackle into a big overhead Belly to Belly Suplex! Hashimoto is slow getting up after that effort, but nonetheless measures Higa up for the finish....... End Game (Spinning Backhand Blow to the Jaw) is ducked by Higa, and Hashimoto falls over! Higa seizes the opportunity and hooks Hashimoto up from behind, nailing the Perfection Sweep (Skull Crushing Finale)! Higa cinches Hashimoto in the Magistral Cradle for good measure, and that gets 3! Higa gets 2 crucial points to start the J Grand Prix! Result: Fuyuko Higa def. Yu Hashimoto via pinfall at 14:31 Rating: 76 --- Post-match we hear briefly from Higa, as she praises Hashimoto's ability and knows that shes someone to count on. Higa's the winner today though, and thinks the GP will follow. Rating: 62 --- vs. Megumi Nakajima vs. Etsuko Arihyoshi Theres some tension here for sure, as Nakajima pinned Arihyoshi's partner Kita on the previous show, on a match set up as a result of Team SUB walking out on Nakajima during a 3-on-3 tag. Nakajima and Arihyoshi start out with mat wrestling early, each trying to one up the other in a complex sequence of holds, counter-holds, and counter-counter holds. Nakajima wrestles quicker, but Arihyoshi wrestles smarter, and that gives her the upper hand eventually, as she works in SMALL JOINT MANIPULATION~! until Nakajima grasps the ropes. Nakajima's a veteran who's been in these spots before however. Nakajima changes from technique to speed, using agility to get behind Arihyoshi and attack her with rebounding strikes from off the ropes. The equilibrium of the match shifts, but Arihyoshi is still a dangerous opponent, still managing to outwrestle Nakajima at points to take back the initiative. Arihyoshi German Suplex gets 2. Tiger Suplex gets 2. Arihyoshi is a bit frustrated at that one, but keeps fighting on, trying to cinch in the Arihyoshi Lockdown (Seated Abdominal Stretch Dragon Sleeper), only for Nakajima to try desperately to battle out of it, throwing elbows and even clawing at Arihyoshi's arm. Eventually, Nakajima summon a Herculean last ditch effort, stands up, and runs backwards into the corner, crushing Arihyoshi behind her. Nakajima works over Arihyoshi in the corner with time running out, before placing Arihyoshi up top for the desperation big finish...... Exploder Superplex! 1......2.......3! Nakajima JUST wins before the time limit! Result: Megumi Nakajima def. Etsuko Arihyoshi via pinfall at 14:55 Rating: 76 --- Post-match, Nakajima cut a fired up promo, saying shes happy over the win and now has a big shot at winning the J Grand Prix. Anyone who comes afer this will be getting the full power and ability of a former World champion thrown at them next, and Nakajima's eager for the challenge. Rating: 65 --- vs. Alicia Strong vs. Miwako Katsukawa No one really gives Katsukawa much of a chance in this one to start, but the commentators do point out that she's had a fairly productive year, getting in some main events, finding some mild success teaming with Eri Sato occasionally, she ahd the draw against a former World champion in HEART Saitoh, and she helped Nakajima down a dangerous duo in Team SUB. Perhaps there could be an upset? Miwako does have some fans in attendance, and people still aren't sure which side of the fence Alicia Strong will come down on, so Miwako gets some approval from the audience when she comes out firing against Alicia early. Some of the exuberant assault is countered, but Alicia seems to really struggle with the purple haired livewire. Umeko Karube notes on commentary that Alicia seems to have difficulty getting the read on Katsukawa compared to her previous opponents. Katsukawa is a whirlwind throughout, running the ropes at speed, disorienting Alicia with unpredictable tactics, and hitting increasingly riskier big moves off the top rope. Alicia eventually slaps down a missile dropkick, and takes over with good technique, working to slow Katsukawa down. Katsukawa gets a huge moment though, as Alicia lifts her for a short powerbomb, only for Katsukawa to counter into the Katsukawa Bomb (Sunset Flip Powerbomb)! 1......2......NO! Alicia gets a hand on the ropes! Katsukawa keeps pressing the attack with more high-risk offense and the crowd stirs, thinking they'll get an upset. Unfortunately, Katsukawa's gambles backfire, as she misses an Ultraviolet Beam (Handspring Twisting Forearm to a cornered opponent), crashing hard into the corner! Alicia Strong alertly takes advantage with a three quarter nelson rollup! 1......2.......3! Alicia Strong gets a hard fought win to start her GP bid! Result: Alicia Strong def. Miwako Katsukawa via pinfall at 14:32 Rating: 76 --- Post-match, a short of breath Alicia Strong praises Katsukawa's efforts, but says she 10 years too early to beat her. Alicia Strong will win this GP, and nothing will change that. Rating: 62 --- vs. Shiori Jippensha vs. Gemmei Oonishi Jippensha and Oonishi are ostensibly allies and on the same side, and there is respect shown between the two in the form of a handshake, although Jippensha seems a little reticient and tentative to accept it at first. Crowd is fairly split, maybe a little edge to Oonishi, but both sides have cause to be happy with this cracking match. Jippensha dominates technical exchanges early on, taking Oonishi down at will and pretty much doing what she wants. A Buffalo Sleeper, a few armbar variations, and Jippensha getting back mount on Oonishi and slapping her around a bit follow. Eventually though, Jippensha stands up and gives Oonishi a clean break, yelling at her to bring something else because this isn't working. Oonishi does bring something, speeding up the match and using quick rollups to her advantage. Several of them get 1 counts, and then Oonishi surprises Jippensha with several hurricanranas, legwhip takedowns, and a rebound cross chop. Oonishi even threatens her own submission by getting a jawbreaker followed by jumping onto Jippensha's back for a sleeper, but Jippensha fights out of it and gets the ropes. The match goes back and forth, speed vs technique, and the crowd is into it cause it can genuinely go either way here. Fuyuko Higa once again makes her appearance in a Jippensha match, but this time it's beneficial. While Jippensha gets distracted by bugging Higa again, Oonishi gets distracted worse, to the point where she seriously considers heading out and throttling Higa. Jippensha manages to take advantage of this, and proceeds to grab Oonishi from behind and suplex her repeatedly. With time running out, Jippensha hauls up Oonishi, and finishes her off with the Execution Day (Scoop Brainbuster) for the 3 count! Jippensha picks up her 2 points to start the GP! Result: Shiori Jippensha def. Gemmei Oonishi via pinfall at 14:49 Rating: 78 --- Post-match, Jippensha heads down the ramp, shooting a glare at Higa on the way out. Unperturbed by that, Higa grabs a mic and taunts Oonishi for the loss, saying that this proved that Oonishi was a fluke, and now she can go back to opening matches where she belongs. Oonishi goes out to fight Higa, but the Hell Raisers come from out of nowhere and intervene. Higa increases the calling out with her backup protecting her, and as Oonishi starts to get physical with the Hell Raisers trying to bypass them, several other wrestlers come flooding out for a melee, as the show goes off the air with a wild confrontation! Rating: 79 --- OVERALL SHOW RATING: 77 ATTENDANCE: 462

First card might be pushed back to Saturday because I've got some other stuff going on. Predictions still open! Had done a test sim earlier, and got an 80 rating for the finale of the J Grand Prix. Pretty optimistic at how this Grand Prix will go from a ratings perspective, hopefully it will lead to Shogun TV vacating its head from its ass and upping my ad revenue beyond 25%.........

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="GYUe7nb.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/GYUe7nb.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><span style="font-size:14px;">5SSW 2020 J GRAND PRIX PREDICTION KEY:</span></span></strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Remember, 10 wrestlers, 2 groups of 5, 2 make it out from each group, all matches are 15 minute time limit standard rules (no time limit for semis/finals), 2 point for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss. THERE WILL BE AT LEAST ONE TIME LIMIT DRAW IN THIS TOURNAMENT.</p><p> </p><p> <strong>If you've been a long-time lurker of this, please feel free to chime in with some predictions, I'm hoping for at least 4-5 sets of responses! It's always nice to see people's favourites or maybe some possible alternate outcomes that I wouldn't have thought of.</strong></p><p> </p><p> Heres the key, please boldtext or otherwise signal your choices. 1 point for each correct guess, winner gets to pick the opening match for JoshiMania between a list of candidates, along with maybe something else.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">GROUP A MATCHES:</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> MATCH A1: Megumi Nakajima win, Alicia Strong win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH A2: Megumi Nakajima win, Etsuko Arihyoshi win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH A3: Megumi Nakajima win, MAYA win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH A4: Megumi Nakajima win, Miwako Katsukawa win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH A5: Alicia Strong win, Etsuko Arihyoshi win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH A6: Alicia Strong win, MAYA win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH A7: Alicia Strong win, Miwako Katsukawa win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH A8: Etsuko Arihyoshi win, MAYA win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH A9: Etsuko Arihyoshi win, Miwako Katsukawa win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH A10: MAYA win, Miwako Katsukawa win, or draw?</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">GROUP B MATCHES:</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> MATCH B1: Shiori Jippensha win, HEART Saitoh win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH B2: Shiori Jippensha win, Fuyuko Higa win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH B3: Shiori Jippensha win, Gemmei Oonishi win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH B4: Shiori Jippensha win, Yu Hashimoto win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH B5: HEART Saitoh win, Fuyuko Higa win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH B6: HEART Saitoh win, Gemmei Oonishi win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH B7: HEART Saitoh win, Yu Hashimoto win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH B8: Fuyuko Higa win, Gemmei Oonishi win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH B9: Fuyuko Higa win, Yu Hashimoto win, or draw?</p><p> MATCH B10: Gemmei Oonishi win, Yu Hashimoto win, or draw?</p><p> </p><p> Which 4 wrestlers will make it to the semi-finals? <em>(2 from Group A, 2 from Group B)</em>:</p><p> Who will win the 2020 J Grand Prix?:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> Good luck to all predictors! I hope we get a healthy turnout! Cards will start dropping on Friday!</p>

Eh, he'll be fine. Strathcona-Fremont are on Canadian Wall Street, they'll probably get over it and arrange some other deal that rich people do, like buying land at an undercut price from their friends in the government and proceed to resell it to the highest bidder for absurd profit. Not that I know any group in my local city who would do such a shady act or anything. The more important takeaway from Ted's bit is that he's sitting on some money now, money that might be useful for something later in the story. Who knows for sure though --- TEW.com 5SSW Breaking News by "JoshiJosh6" Joshua Prosser --- 5 Star Supreme Wrestling called a press conference in their Osaka offices today to announce the lineup for the 2020 J Grand Prix. In attendace was our Japanese correspondent Ken Tanaka, and he left us some notes on the proceedings... -5SSW Owner Sensational Ogiwara and 5SSW Vice President of Matchmaking Kaiya Kuwahara thank the assembled reporters for coming out today, and get right into it, with Kaiya Kuwahara doing most of the talking. -Kuwahara announces a format change for the J Grand Prix. Instead of single elimination, this year's tournament will see a round robin-type format. 10 wrestlers will be split into 2 groups of 5. Each wrestler faces the other wrestler in their group once, in a standard rules match with a 15 minute time limit. You earn 2 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss, and possible point deductions or outright expulsion for disqualification or other dishonourable results. -Top 2 wrestlers in each group make it to the semifinals, and the winners of the two semifinals meet to determine the J Grand Prix champion. Winner of the J Grand Prix will get a title shot at World champion Yuma Maruya in a special match at JoshiMania, the biggest women's wrestling event of the year. -Kaiya Kuwahara announces the groups: GROUP A: Megumi Nakajima / Alicia Strong / Etsuko Arihyoshi / MAYA / Miwako Katsukawa GROUP B: Shiori Jippensha / HEART Saitoh / Fuyuko Higa / Gemmei Oonishi / Yu Hashimoto -Kaiya then introduces the 10 wrestlers, who have all shown up to answer questions. -Fuyuko Higa is a true heel throughout, interrupting everyone's questions to moan about her state of affairs, saying that her security force cancelled her contract with her, and now she needs to win the Grand Prix and the title to get funds back to hire them "so she doesn't get blindsided by vermin like Gemmei Oonishi." -Oonishi of course points out that she can attack Higa from the front, and in fact wants to. A fight almost starts (one that Higa is not keen on), before it gets broken up by the other 8 people between them. Higa of course is more eager to fight Oonishi with 8 people between them, and then offhandedly calls Oonishi a coward after the brouhaha dies down. SHOCKING STORY: Higa is a jerk. -Yu Hashimoto says that this year has been up-and-down for her, with many losses in important matches. But she has an opportunity to wipe away those losses with a huge victory at the Grand Prix, and intends to make life miserable for all contestants. -Saitoh talks about how she likes her group. She has a chance to get back at Higa for her past misdeeds, she has a chance to test herself in a friendly fight against her new tag partner Gemmei Oonishi, and she can renew old acquinatances with semi-regular opponents in Jippensha and Hashimoto. Saitoh wants to win a second World title badly to live up to her mentor's legacy, if only a little better, and promises her fans that she will not quit in her quest to win. -Alicia Strong points out that her father never had the chance to win a tournament in Japan, so she'll be able to be the first Strong to win a trophy overseas. Strong is looking forward to a step-up in competition, and says she will win the title and then end the reign of champion Yuma Maruya to affirm her legacy. -MAYA and Miwako Katsukawa gush about being able to have their first crack at such a big prize, and vow to fight tot he last breath, and if they can't win, they'll gain experience for the next climb to the top. -Jippensha and Arihyoshi say very little and seem to want to be anywhere else, like for example maybe in a gym preparing for the matches ahead. Higa points out that she's hoping Jippensha will "see the light" soon, whatever that means. -Higa continues to just chew the scenery with some coked-out rants, accusing Kuwahara and Ogiwara of stacking the deck against her and saying she should've had an easier group due to past performances, and that maybe three people in the whole tournament are worth a damn besides her. -Eventually, reporters take an opportunity to ask questions to people other than the wrestlers. Ogiwara gets asked about 5SSW's current financial situation, and sorta dodges around it while insisting things are fine. We get updated on the TV deal with Shogun TV, as 5SSW has re-upped for another 3 months. Ogiwara is asked about rumours of the return of the Modern Japan Alliance, and Ogiwara says she's not involved in any plans at the moment, but will keep her options open to anything that may benefit 5SSW. -Finally, some new tour hires working pre-show matches are revealed. Rika Tsujimura is back to reform the Razor Petals tag team with Lady Lotus. The Gun Metal Gals (Emiko Miyoshi and Nami Genda) return for their second tour with the company. Former AAA product Christy Higgins is set to make her debut with the company on this tour's undercards, and a mysterious masked young lion known as the Red Ranger will debut on this tour as well. -Eventually the questions wrap up and Ogiwara and Kuwahara thank the reporters for coming out. We at TEW.com are looking forward to 2020's J Grand Prix, and will keep you updated as the tournament progresses........

(OOC: Been a while since we were last reminded that Alexander kinda sucks. If you don't like the views expressed by the characters within the early part of this update, don't worry, I don't like them either. This update may seem like it has nothing to do with Erin's life as a young lion and 5SSW's battle to achieve prominence, but it'll eventually all tie together. Maybe. A more 5SSW-centered piece of content will come tomorrow in the form of a press conference hyping the upcoming tourney, and hopefully J Grand Prix prediction key is up Monday.) --- Alexander Marcelin could feel a migraine coming on. It was a late-afternoon upper management meeting of some description at the Strathcona-Fremont investment firm. Issues were being raised, details were being hammered out, employment status was being confirmed or de-confirmed, and decidedly un-PC dirty jokes were being told in between talking points. Typical stuff for this group of assholes. The current topic was over a new hire to take up a mid-level position. Somehow it had come down to a smart man of Pakistani descent, and a smart man who, according to research from private investigators, was gay. This prompted several of the crustier people in the room to rant about how societal values had been declining, and why they couldn't just find some "normal" people to fill these roles. Eventually it was agreed upon to just hire the "cab driver" and hope for the best. A very small part of Alexander wanted to get up from the table, return with a chair, and start swinging it at anything with a pulse in this godforsaken room. But that would jeopardize his position. As Michael Corleone said to the corrupt senator in the 2nd Godfather "We're all part of the same hypocrisy.". Alexander saw no point in rocking the boat, so he would just simply go about his business, collect big fees to do what he did, and focus on maintaining the lavish lifestyle to which he was accustomed. Luckily no one in his immediate family could be tarred like this by anyone in Strathcona-Fremont......... "Moving right along. Alexander, how are things in Japan?" "Fine, as far as I know. Ted is keeping an eye on things, it seems Japan is slowly opening the economy back up after the tsunami. He's gotten us some inside info that's been useful and made us all money." "About time that nerdling showed some use....." Alexander bristled. "He was always useful to us. How many people do you know that speak more than 2 languages? He helped us close some vital deals even before he got reassigned." Ted's detractor mumbled at that, and the subject changed to bonds in the Middle East, followed by a round of particularly offensive jokes to their oil-based brethren. Alexander would roll his eyes, but he needed to stay foused on the task at hand. Eventually, the meeting reached hour number 3 with no end in sight, but an interesting bit of discussion did pop up, with a boisterous trader named Lonnie Barkwell wondering how the hell Strathcona-Fremont failed to get in on the public offering for CommPlanet? The world has seen what Reverie had been doing to the entertainment landscape, even if it had lame USPW wrestling as a flagship show, and Strathcona-Fremont had whatever stock it could manage to acquire in several of its competitors. But when trying to sniff around and buy shares for CommPlanet, they were smoked out. How did no one in the company manage to catch wind of this? As the droning continued, Alexander texted his wife to let her know he was going to be at the office all day, then texted his mistress to let her know he was going to be late tonight..... --- Ted had done it. Through masterful use of some trading software that Ted had gotten from Strathcona-Fremont, as well as his inside information, Ted had made a killing on the stock market today. A sequence of trades involving CommPlanet and several related stocks, and Ted had gone from having $200,000, to becoming a millionaire, all with the ease of slipping into a pair of loafers on a Sunday morning. Sure, the government would claw back some of it, but it still meant something. It meant stability. It meant Ted could quit Strathcona-Fremont tomorrow if he wanted, and would be fine for a little while before having to look for another job. It meant he could buy Layla something nice, like perhaps an engagement ring down the line. It meant a down payment on a new house. However, Ted knew he couldn't quit Strathcona-Fremont yet, at least as long as they kept letting him go to Japan to do a little work, then watch high-quality women's wrestling while babysitting the boss's daughter. This was a good job and Ted would have done it for considerably less than what he was being paid. No sense rocking the boat. Yet. As Ted mulled this all over, he got a text from Erin with what seemed to be a picture of Erin and her bestie Simony Sentinel watching a Montreal indy show, with Erin saying, "It's no 5-Star tour card, but it'll do lol." Ted chuckled to himself lightly, sipping a coffee as a summer night drizzle started to descend on Toronto..........

(OOC: Forgot to mention in my notes: In case anyone was wondering, Erin worked another pre-show tag with Spider Isako against a couple game-generated Hatoyama trainees. Also amp you'll be getting one of those matches during the GP due to it lining up coincidentally with my pre-planning! I'll work in another match involving people in that group around Joshimania tour time.) --- "I swear girls, I didn't do ****. Tai just came up the hallway and started yelling at me. Then she shoved me, and that's how it all started." A stressed out Alicia Strong was in the gaijin locker room, shaking her head in disbelief. "It's true ladies." Erin piped up from the back. "I saw the whole thing. Tai was walking down the hallway, saw Alicia, and started shouting in Japanese at her. Then Tai shoved Alicia and it was on." The two were referring to a fight that had taken place a scant five minutes ago. Tai was in a side room, hopefully getting chewed out by someone in a position of power. Tai had been pretty insufferable after getting a Triangle title shot, and based on the fact she started something right after losing the match, it didn't take much deduction to figure out why Tai was more pissed than usual. "What was she even saying to you anyways?" Erin asked Alicia. Alicia shook her head in exasperation "She accused me of wanting her to lose and talking to Ogiwara about it. I haven't said two words to Ogiwara today, she's been holed up in the production room............ God, Tai's such a bitch." "WE KNOW." said about half the locker room in response. There were a few people having a small fragment of thought that, shock of all shocks, Tai was right, and Alicia had talked to Ogiwara about making Tai lose. But this time, reason won out. People had a good idea that Alicia's train was headed to the top, so why make a rest stop to screw a blowhard like Tai out of a midcard title that wouldn't affect Alicia one way or another? It was stupid. Besides, this wasn't the first fight they'd heard of Tai starting, and they didn't think it would be the last...... Alicia threw some things in her locker and headed over to the monitors to watch the World title match, with a lot of the gaijins following her...... --- Ted closed his laptop, leaned back on his couch, and smiled. He had closed out a day's trading with a remarkable near six-figure profit. Some more opportunities with the business contacts he had forged in Japan had led to him putting together some shrewd investments, and his bank account was growing rapidly. All told, Ted had about $200,000 to play with. All of that would be going on the IPO for CommPlanet, assuming his info was good, which he was sure it was. Ted got a text and pulled out his cell phone. It was a picture of his girlfriend, Layla, trying on some new clothes for a future date. Ted loved it. He had been progressing his relationship with Layla pretty well too, in addition to his bank account. For some reason, Ted had been getting unsolicited tips from Simony to improve his future love life. He didn't understand why, aside from maybe Simony showing her gratitude for Ted knowing Japanese, but he had gotten them. Simony had told him several things that Ted planned to use, including setting a certain mood with some incense that may or may not be an aphrodisiac, and may or may not be actually legal (although Ted merely suspected this). So money was good, love was good, he had even won a bit at poker today, and he just watched an excellent show. The Japanese media had been down on the buildup, but the Scramble match delivered, and the tag match was a really, really good one on a technical level, one of the best Ted had seen from any company in a couple years. Everything was coming up aces. So what bad things were gonna happen next? Things shouldn't stay like this for Ted Lewis, he knew that. So what was going to screw up next? And when was it going to happen? No, he couldn't think like that. 2020 was just going to be different for Ted, a turning point if you will. This was the part where all the dues he had paid in life were now returning him dividends.......

OOC SHOW NOTES: -My most successful show yet in-game, but I felt it wasn't the best writing wise. I'm thinking for the third or fourth time that I really need to shorten these writeups. J Grand Prix tour will be a bit easier to write at least, for reasons I'll get into in a sec. -Put together a fun little opener I must say. I'm a fan of both teams, they have good chemistry and Gamma War Unit have a gimmick to make them stand out a bit. However, Synchro Wave are better and more useful for some stuff later. This is not the last you'll see of the War Unit though. -Jankovic and Sentinel getting wins on the big card here to elevate their overness a bit for future events. Sentinel's been a bit disappointing after her hot start, but shes getting better in test sims so I'll keep moving forward with her. She'll have some plot stuff coming up around JoshiMania's tour as well. -Katsukawa coming out as Nakajima's mystery partner elevates her more in terms of "if this were real" logic than in-game logic. I'm committed to the Katsukawa ship at this point and shes responding with some good ratings. In fact I believe she was the second best worker in the match behind Arihyoshi. Kinda sucks that I make Team sUB look like low-end punks immediately after aligning with Higa, but hey, anyone who aligns with Higa is a low-level punk, right? -Strong/Hashimoto wasn't bad, although Hashimoto is stuck in gatekeeper hell and the result was predictable. -All-Asian title match fell flat because Saez did not get over at all on this tour. Might try Saez/Amazon as a team on a later tour. Yoshifumi continues to try her best to make something happen and is getting over well. -Triangle title match was ok I guess, not much more to say about it. Expect MAYA to do more tag work after this next tour. -Tag match was I believe the best match we've had with no Higa, Maruya, or Jippensha. This would've ideally made Pinky Perez seem like a top-level contender, but she and Pink did not gain overness from this. I'll be editor-ing them up from 28 to 29 overness in Kansai, because c'mon. Double Pink did well but now they're at a crossroads. I'll keep them as a team, but part of me is tempted to use Perez more as a single, cause she's a rockin' worker who could slot in well in a feud with like Higa or Jippensha. -Gauntlet match got fun to write, although I had to cut out Jippensha getting a fall cause the writeup was too long. I feel like some stuff in the buildup was a little too American-ish, but I feel justified in doing some non-traditional stuff after watching a blowoff match in STARDOM of a feud involving stuffed animal theft. Oh yeah, thats a thing now apparently. Not that I fault STARDOM, but this is why I feel justified in making 5SSW a bit different from more PURO WRESTLING IS SRS BUSINESS feds like PGHW, SAISHO, and BCG. Its probably a little past WLW or EXODUS though? -Ok, so I've gotta do a bunch more character updates, including the setup for the J Grand Prix. I'm NOT doing prediction keys for the individual shows, but instead one giant prediction key for the whole Grand Prix. It will take place over 5 small prediction-less shows, a semifinal(which I'll re-open show predictions for) and the final card. Each show in the buildup will have 4 GP matches, then I'll have a bunch of random tags as a sort of pre-show. -Also, might be working on a Table of Contents and a character section to put in the opening posts in the diary. -Also, expect some people to be fired soon. Nothing personal, strictly business. We're getting into the summer now, and big things may soon be afoot that necessitates some roster spots....... --- PREDICTION STANDINGS: ampulator: 106/112 KyTeran: 79/105 Teasenityrn: 14/15 Mokoa: 24/32 medla: 14/23 joshbrady91: 8/8 Strech: 8/8 Congrats to ampulator for taking the win this session! Please reply below with a dream match you'd like to see on an upcoming tour! (along with a couple backup options in case that match you requested is being saved for a post-JoshiMania feud.) Workers not currently employed by 5SSW are ok to pick, but be reasonable for foreigners who aren't set to be in Japan please.

Shogun TV Presents: 5SSW Wrestle Challenge Saturday/Week 2/June/2020 East Osaka Volleyball Center Osaka, Japan --- We get a well-done video package to open the show narrated by Kaiya Kuwahara. The big feuds and angles are broken down pretty well, and it sets a good tone for the show before the announcers welcome us to another night of high quality action. Rating: 77 --- vs. Gamma War Unit (Kaori Takenouchi / Mio Takasu) vs. Synchro Wave (Ava Anderson / Lily Snyder) An inauspicious opener at first glance, but it turns out to be a good match. Both teams work well together and bring a good mix of brawling and technique to the table, making for a very watchable encounter. The match sees some slick double team work, including a wicked double spinebuster from the War Unit that almost folds Anderson in half, plus Synchro Wave busting out the old Warlord's Execution finsih that the Lords of War used to do, although Takenouchi saves Takasu from the pin. Takasu can't save Takenouchi, however, when she eats the Wave Motion Cannon (DWI) for 3 from Synchro Wave to give them the win. Result: Synchro Wave def. Gamma War Unit via pinfall at 10:23 (Snyder pins Takenouchi) Rating: 58 --- vs. Zofia Jankovic vs. Kaede Sugiyama A fairly energetic, one-sided squash. Sugiyama tries using her technique to slow down Jankovic, but Jankovic is fighting with some real fire and frustration, presumably over recent results like the tag team loss to Double Pink. Jankovic seems to almost toy with Sugiyama at points, battering her with kicks and suckering her into thinking she has a chance before dropping the hammer on her again. A sequence of body kicks eventually stagger Sugiyama and make her easy pickings for the Demon's Bane (Go 2 Sleep) to get an emphatic 3 count. Result: Zofia Jankovic def. Kaede Sugiyama via pinfall at 9:31 Rating: 59 --- vs. Lady Lotus vs. Simony Sentinel The mysterious masked lady has had a very up-and-down 2019, and things go down for her against a game and willing Simony Sentinel. Simony seems to be a bit faster and a bit craftier throughout, nullifying Lotus's primary advantages. Lotus does manage some pockets of offense, taking the match down to the ground and working over Sentinel with some not entirely legal moves. Unfortunately for Lotus, an attempted running double knee off the apron to the floor ends with Sentinel dodging it and sending Lotus crashing into the ringside fence. Sentinel drags the hurt Lotus back in, hits several moves capped off by a Spinning Back Suplex, and then goes up top for the Sentinel Strike (Twisting Top Rope Splash), landing it for the pinfall victory. Result: Simony Sentinel def. Lady Lotus via pinfall at 9:42 Rating: 57 --- Megumi Nakajima is backstage, saying shes found her mystery partner to take on Team SUB, and it's revealed to be Miwako Katsukawa! Katsukawa says she was reluctant at first, given Nakajima's past history, but it seems Nakajima is slowly trying to atone for her days as part of the ANTI, and so she'll help Nakajima settle this score against Team SUB. Katsukawa then slams Team SUB for abandoning Nakajima in the middle of a match, saying that it's a low, disreputable thing, and says she'll give Team SUB a taste of the pain Nakajima had inflicted on her as a result. Rating: 56 --- vs. Megumi Nakajima / Miwako Katsukawa vs. Team SUB (Chiyeko Kita / Etsuko Arihyoshi) Business starts to pick up a little here. Nakajima has herself a good temporary partner, but facing Team SUB's experience as a duo is tough, as well as dealing with the technique of the dangerous Arihyoshi. Nakajima and Katsukawa start out okay at first, working over whoever gets put in front of them at first. An attempted double team on Arihyoshi goes awry, however, and Team SUB then gets back control of the match, isolating Nakajima and working her over in brutal fashion. Kita tries to cinch in a Head and Arm Choke, but Nakajima fights out of it and makes the ropes (twice). Arihyoshi comes in and threatens with the Arihyoshi Lockdown (Seated Abdominal Stretch Dragon Sleeper), although Nakajima keeps battling and squirming until Arihyoshi decides to change things up and go to a guillotine choke instead. Nakajima counters with a Northern Lights Suplex and makes the tag to Katsukawa! ........Only for Katsukawa to be cut off by a cheapshot from Kita just as she gets going. We go into Baptiste/Marcel vs Canadian Wolverines formula of a big tag halfway through then a switch-off for the face in peril, as this time its Katsukawa feeling the pain in the Team SUB corner. German Suplex gets 2. Tiger Suplex gets 2. Dragon Suplex gets 2 after Nakajima recovers enough to make a save. Kita goes for a Head and Arm Choke on Katsukawa, but struggles to lock it in, as Katuskawa somehow gets to her feet with Kita still trying to lock in the submission, and then shoves Kita into Arihyoshi, knocking Arihyoshi to the outside! Katsukawa tags in Nakajima, stuns Kita with strikes, and then Nakajima and Katsukawa combine for an awkward but effective variant of the Team SUB finish, a Superkick by Katsukawa followed by a Nakajima Straight Jacket (Straitjacket Suplex) from Nakajima! Katsukawa takes out Arihyoshi with a plancha, enabling Nakajima to pin Kita for the 3 count! Result: Nakajima / Katsukawa def. Team SUB via pinfall (Nakajima pins Kita) at 14:32 Rating: 70 --- vs. Alicia Strong vs. Yu Hashimoto One good match leads into another, as Alicia Strong faces her first serious singles test here. Hashimoto is motivated to start, and comes out firing with big-time strikes to set the pace. Alicia's seen all this before, but not quite at this level with this amount of ferocity, and gets rocked by some of Hashimoto's early salvoes. Hashimoto starts shifting to throws, and gets some effective offense going that way, taking Alicia over the top rope and to the outside with a gutwrench suplex. A superman punch off the apron follows, and then Hashimoto runs Alicia's head into the post. Hashimoto's running start to the match fizzles out a bit however, as she gets a little too confident and a little too predictable with her arsenal. Alicia catches a clothesline and transitions into an armbar, but Hashimoto makes the ropes. Alicia keeps a persistent attack on the right arm however, as Umeko Karube notes on commentary the likely purpose is to neutralize Hashimoto's finisher. Hashimoto does fight out of it and keeps up the offense, although Alicia persistently goes to the arm and seems content to let Hashimoto expend energy to escape. Eventually Hashimoto fires off the End Game (Spinning Backhand Blow to the jaw), but hurts her hand badly doing so and doesn't cover right away. Eventually she does crawl over though.....1......2......NO! Alicia Strong kicks out! Hashimoto is pissed and starts beating on Strong with the left, but its not as effective or powerful. Alicia eventually ducks a second End Game with the left, and hits a Rebound Dropkick off the middle rope with gusto. Alicia then gets a pair of kneedrops, followed by a big Backdrop Driver! Hashimoto's reeling as Alicia revs up for the kill....... Strong Arm Tactic (High-Impact Running Elbow to the Temple)! 1......2.......3! Result: Alicia Strong def. Yu Hashimoto via pinfall at 14:44 Rating: 73 --- Post-match Alicia is keyed up after the win, and grabs a mic from the ring announcer. Alicia says she was mildly impressed by Hashimoto's grit and power, but she still wants to achieve more. So the only route left for her in the short-term is simple: Enter the J Grand Prix to fight the top contenders. Alicia promises to be the first gaijin to ever win the J Grand Prix, as well as the first person to win the World title right afterwards. That will add to her legacy, and will force the world to acknowledge her as the best around, whether they want to or not. Rating: 75 --- 5SSW All-Asian Championship V5 Defence vs. Maki Yoshifumi (Champion) vs. Ursula Saez (Challenger) This match has some potential, but falls short of the mark. Saez didn't get over strong during this tour, and isn't bought as a serious challenger. Yoshifumi works commendably hard to salvage something, but the match sputters. Yoshifumi and Saez work the match as a realistic, stiff, and very wild brawl, going around the ring and into the ringside area, throwing leather and refusing to back down. It becomes a question of who breaks first, and the answer turns out to be Saez, who tires badly as the match progresses. Yoshifumi is huffing and puffing too, but has enough in the tank to counter a wayward Saez lariat with a HEAD KICK that gets an ever-reliable 3 count. Yoshifumi retains, but it wasn't pretty...... Result: Maki Yoshifumi def. Ursula Saez via pinfall at 13:01 Maki Yoshifumi retains the 5SSW All-Asian Championship (V5 Defense) Rating: 57 --- Next up a brief video package plays involving Sae Akutagawa, MAYA, and Unstoppable Tai, hyping the Triangle title match upcoming. Rating: 47 --- 5SSW Triangle Championship V1 Defence vs. vs. Sae Akutagawa (Champion) vs. MAYA (Challenger) vs. Unstoppable Tai (Challenger) A pretty good title match here, with MAYA working hard to get her title back, Sae working hard to defend it, and Tai showing off for the cameras with some impressive power moves. The match starts predictably with Tai blasting through both opponents, using her sheer size and power to turn MAYA inside-out with a thunderous lariat. Tai makes less progress against Sae, who is a little closer in terms of size, but still manages to overpower her into the corner, both hands strangling Sae. Tai's attempt at a Tai Bomber (Double-Handed Choke Bomb) is a little overambitious though, and Sae counters with a knee to the jaw as she gets lifted which stuns Tai. Sae and MAYA do team up a little against Tai, but inevitably turn on each other to try and get the win, thus giving Tai the openings she needs to come back. The problem is that the team-ups are always effective against her, with Sae being able to hold her own and benefitting from MAYA's assistance. Gradually though, MAYA takes more and more damage as the match progresses from both girls, and things open up for Tai and Sae. Sae has MAYA alone in the ring and goes for an elevated Spinebuster, but MAYA busts out a surprise counter with the last of her strength, transitioning into a Triangle Choke that has Sae in trouble! Sae fights it hard, but get saved before needing to break free by Unstoppable Tai coming back from the outside and kicking MAYA in the ribs HARD. MAYA breaks the hold and gets battered around by Tai, who throws her around and then destroys her with a powerbomb into the corner turnbuckle. Tai thinks she has it won, but doesn't reckon for Sae, who hits her with a surprise knee to the kidneys while Tai roars at the crowd. A second knee gets followed up on with a biiiiig Backdrop Driver by Sae. Sae then manages to show some strength by hauling Tai up into a torture rack, which she then spins out into a Powerbomb! Brutal maneuver! Cover on Tai! 1......2.....MAYA's too out of it to save......3! Sae Akutagawa retains! Result: Sae Akutagawa def. MAYA and Unstoppable Tai via pinfall at 15:08 Sae Akutagawa retains the 5SSW Triangle Championship (V1 Defense) Rating: 67 --- 5SSW Tag Team Championships V6 Defence vs. The Uprising (Talia Quinzel / Selina Svelte)(Champions) vs. Double Pink (Mystery Pink / Pinky Perez)(Challengers) This has the potential to be a great match, and it lives up to it. The crowd haven't totally warmed up to Double Pink yet but start to after this match. There is a little backstory behind it too, with the Americans mocking the Mexicans during a press conference building up the Queen's Castle Cup. Mystery Pink and Selina Svelte start, and it's quite a tactical mat battle early on. Svelte uses tactics of dubious legality to try and take control, but Mystery Pink's quickness in these exchanges wins out and sends Selina the the outside. Second chain wrestling exchange leads to the same result, so in comes Talia Quinzel. Mystery Pink changes tactics, going to the knees against the taller opponent. Quinzel fights back with power and a couple neat backbreaker variations, before going to a bearhug. Mystery Pink flails and fights and breaks free from it to tag in Perez, who goes at Quinzel with a speed-based approach, running the ropes at impossible angles and using hit-and-run tactics to disorient Quinzel and keep her down. Back and forth the match goes, Double Pink using all their speed to their advantage, Uprising countering with Quinzel's power and Svelte's rulebreaking techniques. The crowd start to really get into it, as the Uprising have gained a following and Pinky Perez seems to be blossoming into a Top 5 women's wrestler in the world. The crowd start doing the Ibaraki foot stomps as the match builds up. Twisting Crossbody by Mystery Pink! 1......2.....Svelte kicks out! Middle rope Uranage by Quinzel! 1......2.....Perez kicks out! Blue Thunder Bomb by Svelte! 1......2.....Pink kicks out! Super Frankensteiner by Perez! 1......2.....Svelte kicks out again! Spinal Trauma (Overhead Press Front Slam Backbreaker) to Perez! 1......2......NO! Perez kicks out somehow! Quinzel then tags in Svelte to go for the true finish, as they lift Perez up for the Rising Tide(Modified Sky Lift Slam), only for Perez to counter in mid-air with a hurricanrana to Svelte that sends her into Quinzel! Perez dropkicks Svelte! Tilt-A-Whirl Rib Breaker! Perez tags in Pink! Vertical Suplex/Twisting Crossbody coming up, but Svelte slips free and reverses into a suplex on Perez, sending her into the corner and dislodging Pink! Blue Thunder Bomb to Pink! Quinzel's recovered and made it to the apron, so Svelte tags her in.....and this time they hit the Rising Tide on Mystery Pink! 1......2.......3! The Uprising retain, but only just in a tremendous match! Result: The Uprising def. Double Pink by pinfall at 19:32 (Quinzel pins Pink) The Uprising retain the 5SSW Tag Team Championships Rating: 76 --- Next up, a video package plays hyping the world title match, but it gets lost in the shuffle somewhat in the crowd applauding Double Pink for a terrific and courageous fight. That and the production values don't seem as sharp as the initial package to open the show...... Rating: 67 --- 5SSW World Championship V8 Defence Scramble Match (30 Minute Time Limit) vs. vs. vs. Yuma Maruya(Champion) vs. Fuyuko Higa(Challenger) vs. Shiori Jippensha(Challenger) vs. Gemmei Oonishi(Challenger) This match has a tough act to follow after a red-hot tag match, but it does get followed up on quite well. There are some high levels of heat, and the crowd wants Higa and her ever-increasing entourage of lady cops to have no success and get conclusively beaten. Oonishi also gets a big response for her entrance, as this is the first time since the Hall of Fame tour that she can get her hands on her former tag partner. Higa starts the match by asking Jippensha for an alliance to fight Maruya and Oonishi together. Jippensha's response to this is to slap the taste out of Higa's mouth, and a much-deserved 3-on-1 mugging commences. Maruya and Jippensha land the 5-Star Finish (Back Suplex/Flying Flip Neckbreaker) on Higa, and Oonishi follows up with a Tumbleweed Leg Drop! .......However, the argument over who gets the pin commences, with Jippensha and Oonishi getting heated over it, and the 3 who were aligned end up fighting each other, in an expanded form of the typical Triangle title spots. Oonishi ends up downed in the ring, while Jippensha and Maruya fight to the outside. Jippensha trips Maruya into the guardrail and starts working her over, and Jippensha seems motivated enough to get the title that she has no qualms about causing severe bodily harm to her partner to get it back. Meanwhile, Higa's revived from her 3-on-1 attack earlier in the match, and pounces on a reeling Oonishi, slamming and striking her at her leisure. Higa then showboats and peacocks around the ring, taking her time to haul up Oonishi for the Higa Green Driver (Emerald Flowsion Kai), only for Oonishi to drop down and small package Higa! 1......2.......3! Oonishi strikes first! FALLS COUNT: Oonishi-1 Maruya-0 Jippensha-0 Higa-0 Higa is absolutely furious with being blindsided by a flash pin again, and proceeds to kick the living hell out of Oonishi, battering her ribs and then stomping her brutally. Higa then lands a Perfection Sweep (Skull-Crushing Finale), followed by a Higa Green Driver! 1......2.......3! Higa gets a fall of her own FALLS COUNT: Oonishi-1 Higa-1 Maruya-0 Jippensha-0 Higa tries to deal severe damage to Oonishi, working her over with a glint of madness in her eyes. Higa is about to hoist Oonishi up for another big move before being interrupted by Maruya giving her a running dropkick. Maruya then attacks Higa hard with chops and forearms and gives Oonishi time to rally and recover. The match flows in a weird direction. Higa plays things much smarter to try and get a second fall, and there are a few points where Higa subtly manipulates Jippensha into some type of double team move with her against Oonishi or Maruya, before Jippensha realizes whats going on and attacks Higa. Eventually we get a big sequence where Higa manages to fight off all 3 opponents with a bunch of moves, eventually devolving into Higa hitting them all with Kitozon Chops and doing Master Kitozon's signature sumo pose, which draws utter hatred from the audience. Higa's too cocky to notice Jippensha reviving behind her though, and Jippensha hits Higa with her own finish, the Perfection Sweep! 1......2......NO! Higa kicks out! Jippensha presses the attack, but gets disrupted by Maruya, and Higa rolls outside to recover in the confusion. Jippensha and Maruya don't notice and fight each other hard. Jippensha tries for a Belly to Belly Suplex, Maruya fights her off with some headbutts, and while the two are grappling Oonishi comes off the top with the Flying Dagger Legdrop (Top Rope Front Flip Rough Ryder)! Maruya dodges but Jippensha takes the move! 1......2......Maruya breaks up the pin! Maruya headscissors Oonishi out, and then goes up for a Split-Legged Moonsault on Jippensha! 1......2.......3! Maruya's on the board! FALLS COUNT: Oonishi-1 Higa-1 Maruya-1 Jippensha-0 Maruya gets up to her feet to take a breather, but Higa doesn't allow her the leisure, attacking her from behind with a brutal Enzuigiri that Maruya takes a flat face-first bump for. Higa pushes Maruya into the corner, and alternates between backhanding her, slapping her, and screaming at her to just give up and let her have the title already. Higa hauls Maruya up for the Higa Green Driver, but gets chopblocked by Jippensha! Higa fights off Jippensha with some effort, and hauls her up for the Driver......only for Oonishi to interrupt that! Higa gets pissed and tries to obliterate Oonishi with brutal strikes and flashy moves. Higa hits the Perfection Sweep on Oonishi! Higa hauls Oonishi up as the time limit approaches, spitting in Oonishi's face before.....2nd Perfection Sweep! 1......2......NO! Maruya breaks it up out of nowhere by crushing both girls with the YUMA Special (Sky Twister Press)! Maruya suplexes Higa over the top rope and out, before bowing to Oonishi and going up again...... 2nd YUMA Special to Oonishi! 1......2.......3! Maruya takes a second fall! FALLS COUNT: Maruya-2 Oonishi-1 Higa-1 Jippensha-0 Maruya hauls herself up in the corner, Jippensha desperately tries to get back in the ring and take a fall somehow but its too late, as the 30 minute time limit expires! Maruya retains by a narrow margin! Result: Yuma Maruya wins Scramble match after the 30 minute time limit (2-1-1-0) Yuma Maruya retains the 5SSW World Championship (V8 Defense) Rating: 85 (!) --- Post-match, Maruya cuts an emotional victory promo, thanking the fans for their support and showing respect to all three opponents, even Higa, who is retreating up the entranceway and gives Maruya a murderous look in response. Jippensha looks a little frustrated with herself after the match, but the camera pans to Maruya raising the title high, as the traditional rain of streamers commences....... Rating: 77 --- OVERALL SHOW RATING: 82 ATTENDANCE: 1300

Shogun TV Presents: 5SSW Wrestle Challenge Saturday/Week 2/June/2020 --- The final night of the Wrestle Challenge tour is here! A bevy of important matches in 5SSW's future awaits, and you can view the action for yourself in person at the Osaka East Volleyball Center, or on the air on Shogun TV! In our opening match, two tag teams of promise do battle, as the Gamma War Unit take on Synchro Wave. Zofia Jankovic is in singles action next, facing the experienced veteran Kaede Sugiyama. Lady Lotus is aiming to get back into contention for bigger matches and important titles, and she'll face a wily challenge in gaijin Simony Sentinel! Megumi Nakajima and her mystery partner take on Team SUB in our 4th match of the day, as Nakajima aims for revenge after being blindsided by betrayal from Team SUB in an earlier encounter where they were allies. Will this makeshift team with the mystery partner prevail over the dangerous submission artists? The final match before the title bouts is a big one, seeing Alicia Strong's open challenge being answered by the fierce brawling ways of Yu Hashimoto. Will Hashimoto beat the daughter of an icon, or will the daughter continue her aim to further her father's Japanese legacy? Our first title match is for the All-Asian belt, and will see Maki Yoshifumi defend against the rough and tumble Mexican fighter Ursula Saez! Our second title match will be for the Triangle title, as new champion Sae Akutagawa defends against previous champion MAYA and the threatening powerhouse known as Unstoppable Tai! Who will prevail? The co-main event will see a fierce Tag Team championship clash, between the American duo known as The Uprising, and the Mexican duo known as Double Pink. Both teams have rarely tasted defeat so far in 2020, but when facing each other, someone's sterling record will be given a black mark! Who will triumph for the belts! Finally, our main event sees a Scramble match for the World title. 4 women are involved, a 30 minute time limit is present, and whoever collects the most falls in 30 minutes gets the title. It will be a fierce battle between the Champion Yuma Maruya, and challengers Fuyuko Higa, Shiori Jippensha, and Gemmei Oonishi! Can the champion retain? Will Higa become Miss Perfection and win her first title? Will Shiori Jippensha take back the title she lost in 2019? Or will Gemmei Oonishi get sweet revenge on her former partner Higa and climb the championship mountain before she does? This will be an entertaining main event for sure! --- PREDICTION KEY: Mio Takasu / Kaori Takenouchi vs. Ava Anderson / Lily Snyder Zofia Jankovic vs. Kaede Sugiyama Lady Lotus vs. Simony Sentinel Megumi Nakajima / ??? vs. Chiyeko Kita / Etsuko Arihyoshi Alicia Strong vs. Yu Hashimoto 5SSW All-Asian Title V5 Defense: Maki Yoshifumi © vs. Ursula Saez 5SSW Triangle Title V1 Defense: Sae Akutagawa © vs. MAYA vs. Unstoppable Tai 5SSW Tag Team Titles V6 Defense: Talia Quinzel / Selina Svelte © vs. Mystery Pink / Pinky Perez 5SSW World Title V8 Defense (Scramble Match): Yuma Maruya © vs. Fuyuko Higa vs. Shiori Jippensha vs. Gemmei Oonishi

(OOC: Prediction key for the final Wrestle Challenge show on Monday, show itself on Wednesday!) Another day, another pretty fun-looking card for 5-Star Supreme Wrestling. Erin sat in a small room containing a monitor, broadcasting the matches that were taking place out in the school's gym. Simony was beside her, taping her wrists and preparing herself mentally for a big match with Gemmei Oonishi. Thea Davis and Lily Snyder were also half-watching the proceedings while chatting with one another. Erin had felt pretty good about her match. She had, for whatever reason, been assigned to work the pre-show in a young lions tag match, working alongside a promising young fighter named Spider Isako who 5-Star had brought in on several one-off dark matches, and they thought she had potential. Erin and Spider Isako beat a pair of rookies from the Hatoyama Dojo known as the Blackhearts in a tag, giving Erin a rare win in her 5SSW career. Of course Erin didn't mind doing a bunch of jobs, but it still felt nice to connect with her finish and get her hand raised. Erin noticed a couple members of her Fan Club cheering as if it were a World title defense, and that made Erin feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It still felt weird to have one, but GOOD to have one. Not to mention, her and Isako really clicked as partners, doing some not terrible double team stuff. Isako was really, really green and a couple levels below even Erin as an in-ring performer, but there was better teamwork with Isako than with the previous few partners Erin had, even if they might've been more talented. As Erin watched the match on the screen involving the Uprising beating the hell out of their opponents, another backstage argument was taking place. Erin heard it, but couldn't understand it........ --- .......But Ted could, and it wasn't pretty. Ted had in fact almost wandered right into the middle of it coming out from a washroom, before stopping and backing off at the last second. Backstage agent Kit Hatoyama was giving Unstoppable Tai a piece of her mind for some unprofessional behaviour in the prior match, as she had no-sold Machiko Matsuda and at some point had basically considered her a non-entity in the match. Tai could not see anything wrong with doing this, of course. Hatoyama laid into her some more and demanded an apology, Tai gave one that could generously be described as quarter-assed, and that put paid to the argument for now. Ted heard Tai muttering to herself as she went down the hallway and shook his head in disgust. 5SSW had only a few bad apples really, but they could stink badly when they wanted to. Hopefully things wouldn't escalate further, although Ted wouldn't put it past a hothead like Tai.......

OOC SHOW NOTES: -So this show got hard to write heading to the co-main and main, which I felt were below standards. This whole tour's been weird for me idk, probably because not enough Higa. I decided to watch STARDOM for moveset ideas because I was thinking that there wasn't enough setting apart certain girls movesets and well...... let's talk about STARDOM later. -Synchro Wave is coming along nicely, although Lilly and Rose are arguably better even with the chemistry bonus Snyder and Anderson get. -Unstoppable Tai gets the nod here because we're getting lower down on the list of fresh challengers for the Triangle title. Not at all sure who should be next on the pecking order. -Nakajima should really be doing better on these promo segments than she does, shes almost as good a talker as Maruya. This baseline promo number might go up in future though, as I did some pre-show shenanigans for the final card of the tour, and gave everyone in 5SSW a gimmick to boost ratings slightly. -Uprising match was low probably due to being below the 10 minute threshhold. That and 4 workers in the match are at or below 50. The Uprising can only do so much, especially when they lose their tag bonuses. -Jippensha's stepping things up lately. Nothing to do with the ending of the main event next show (which is already simmed, in the can, and ready to be written up), but Jippensha actually had the best rating score of that main event, and was no question the MVP of today's show. -Sorta sucks to be jobbing out Zofia and Lethal Strike a bit, but someone's gotta take falls here. MAYA's been stepping her game up too, but then she was fairly well-protected on tour shows, being the Triangle champ and all, so she had people around her like Matsuda to take the falls and protect her momentum. -Oonishi/Sentinel was a bit disappointing, but there's a reason for it: your momentum resets when you leave a company, so Sentinel's debut tour of 4 straight wins building her up to get HEAD KICKED by Yoshifumi didn't transfer over. Sentinel's getting about high 50s for match ratings, but it should get to 60s soon, I hope. -Katsukawa's justifying my assessment of her, by being the best worker on the face side in this main event. She's outdoing HEART Saitoh now, and progressing fairly well. Higa was sorta just average in the main event, I notice that she really dogs it on some tour cards, which might be a trait IIRC. Saitoh is really overrated by the game, but useful for character stuff a bit, and she's a former World champion so she has in-universe prestige, a good result against her is always a fairly big deal. -So let's talk about STARDOM! I watched some of it to get inspiration for typical joshi movesets to add to what my characters do. I only watch joshi on occasion, my most recent "exposure" was that dreadful Riho/Nyla Rose match, and while people would be quick to blame Rose cause durr hurr boring big girl cant work, I really didn't think much of Riho, especially when they gave her a spot or two where she actually lifted Nyla and it was like come on. Plus some of the strikes looked weak, and Riho just didn't seem like the high-level talent I was led to believe she was. But I watched Shirai vs Iwatani and I didn't feel it was as great as some of the stuff from the 90s I saw. It was ok, and they suplexed each other a lot which is better than meandering WWE monster offense. But aspects of it felt to me like two girls impersonating 2002 Smackdown Six, idk. Also one problem I'm noticing as I browse through modern joshi is that some of the girls are not athletic or explosive enough to run the ropes properly (This is an even bigger problem when watching the mid-2000s WWE diva matches, where they're soooooo slow running the ropes. Some of the fatter monster heels in the 80s and 90s also suck at this as well). It really takes you out of the match to see someone running the ropes in slow motion, when the whole point of doing that spot is to build up a head of steam and add more impact to whatever it is you're doing. Perhaps these girls need to be re-trained to work a more technical, grounded style, and let the faster girls who can run ropes work around them. -Honestly, I'll need to see more to bear this out, but if I had to wager a guess, I'd say porting over 5SSW to real life somehow using Star Trek technology would improve the quality of modern women's wrestling by a considerable amount. Like, Iwatani and Shirai are not Jippensha and Maruya, sorry. It would be cool if they were, I have no issue with joshi wrestlers tryna bring back the glory days, and all the girls on the STARDOM roster are pretty cute, but I think the superfans saying OMG some of the best wrestling I've ever seen need to broaden their horizons a bit. But then I'm biased by coming up as a fan with Smackdown Six, which was such a great era for matches that sorta gets forgotten about because it didn't draw (Like anything would, with Vince having shanked wrestling in 2001 and now slowly watches it bleed out while bathing himself in Saudi-bucks.) Anyways, rant over. Onto the comments! --- I mean, I kinda buy the girls>guys argument on a cursory glance over USPW's roster, but Alicia would be a little biased. USPW also did some silly stuff with the Womens title that I didn't even bring up in Alicia's rant too (Sharp-eyed viewers note that Miss American Pie won a title earlier, so I went into the game to speed along the burial of Alicia Strong and booked a hot-shot title change in a triple threat to get it to Pariah, who the AI was loving at the time.). AAA's death was really stupid on Ryland's part because the company showed no signs of being bad in 2016 and QAW is a bit overrated tbh. Oh god, 2013 and 2016 USPW booking was such a deadzone and the best example of the game straight-up lying to the player. It might be kinda easy to get untalented people over, but having untalented people boost ratings for you is a whole nother matter, and USPW had to rely on Champion/Baine on free TV or fishing for chemistry to stay on keel with TCW or USPW quality-wise. I believe angeldelayette in one of his 30000 USPW diaries tried to solve this with a working agreement with TCW followed by a Syndicate invasion to give Champion SOMEONE to work with, and it helped. Rich Money and Steve Frehley are not as good as the game says they are, neither is Running Wolf (although hes not horrible and still pretty young), and Casey Valentine needs to be fed names quickly to take him to the next level. Who said Oonishi was going to lose this match? The Higa line I debated over for a while, but it made the cut. It's not out of bounds compared to what some ridiculous OTT manga villainess would say, and in the end, isn't that what Higa totally is? --- PREDICTION STANDINGS: ampulator: 98/104 KyTeran: 74/97 Teasenityrn: 14/15 Mokoa: 16/23 medla: 14/23 joshbrady91: 8/8 Strech: 8/8 One more show left for this section of prediction games! Even though it's totally obvious amp has got this, any predictions are appreciated, its nice to have people putting in their 2 cents about where they think this project is going. Character update on Saturday, prediction key for the tour blow-off show on Monday! Hope you all stay safe out there!

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="GYUe7nb.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/GYUe7nb.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="font-size:12px;">Shogun TV Presents:</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;"> 5SSW Wrestle Challenge Tour Night 4</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;"> Monday/Week 2/June/2020</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;"> Seishuu Academy Gymnasium</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;"> Osaka, Japan</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="kEWkdko.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/kEWkdko.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="mzVF5wy.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/mzVF5wy.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="Zb8U70Q.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Zb8U70Q.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="EgHhLyR.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/EgHhLyR.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Synchro Wave (Ava Anderson / Lily Snyder) vs. Ochiyo Iijima / Hana Ajibana</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Surprisingly, the show starts right off with a match and no talking this time. The 5SSW audience is getting more accustomed to Synchro Wave bit-by-bit, although they're still seen as clearly a couple rungs back of the relevant teams in the super-deep 5SSW tag team division.</p><p> </p><p> They look fairly good here, with Lily Snyder's technique impressing the most. Ajibana puts up some resistance and Iijima lands a few strikes, but their opponents have them mostly outmatched. Snyder ends the contest after combining with Anderson to hit the Wave Motion Cannon (DWI) for the pinfall on Iijima after 8 fairly uneven minutes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Synchro Wave def. Iijima & Ajibana via pinfall (Snyder pins Iijima) at 8:01</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 54</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="yTxuXfo.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/yTxuXfo.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> We check in next with Alicia Strong, who says shes had three fun matches so far, but wants a true, serious test, one-on-one, for the next big event. So Alicia throws out an open challenge and asks a capable 5SSW wrestler to answer it, lose to her, and add to her legacy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p>Rating: 65</p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="APlokTw.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/APlokTw.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="AFBofo7.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/AFBofo7.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="fzlESSC.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/fzlESSC.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Triangle Title Eliminator</span></strong></p><p><strong> Machiko Matsuda vs. Unstoppable Tai vs. Mio Takasu</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> This is expected to be quite one-sided, but surprisingly that isn't the case here. Unstoppable Tai is the dominant force when she gets a one-on-one, but Matsuda and Takasu counteract this by aligning fairly often throughout. The combination of speed and fury versus power provides a storyline that makes up the main thread of the match.</p><p> </p><p> Another thread running through the match though is Tai being particularly unprofessional towards Matsuda, no-selling a lot of her offense. Tai takes more from Takasu, presumably due to her height and toughness, but refuses to give Matsuda much beyond double-teams.</p><p> </p><p> Matsuda and Takasu eventually get Tai down with a Double Rolling Clothesline, followed by Takasu blasting Tai with the Headshot(Yakuza Kick) while Tai groggily got to her knees, but Matsuda breaks up the pin and that breaks up the rather tenuous teamwork the two have. While Takasu and Matsuda fight, Tai recovers, and that proves to the the tipping point, as Tai manipulates Matsuda into the path of a Headshot from Takasu. Tai then presses Takasu out of the ring, before picking Matsuda up by the neck and giving her a vicious Tai Bomber (Double Handed Choke Bomb) for 3 to get the title shot.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Unstoppable Tai def. Machiko Matsuda and Mio Takasu (Tai pins Matsuda) at 12:04</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 60</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="Tlz7Qa6.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Tlz7Qa6.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Next we check in with Megumi Nakajima, who says she's furious with Team SUB for their actions, and says she'll find a partner to take them on at the final show of the Wrestle Challenge tour.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><em>Rating: 54</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="UqJvBag.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/UqJvBag.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="NrU6NiP.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NrU6NiP.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="erAE3w5.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/erAE3w5.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="iobILVo.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/iobILVo.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="lL30Zqr.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/lL30Zqr.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="JGHhvtW.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/JGHhvtW.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Talia Quinzel / Selina Svelte / Ursula Saez vs. Otsune Tsumura / Kaede Sugiyama / Kinuye Mushashibo</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Even though the Stone Soliders were not that far away from beating the Uprising in April, today is a whole other matter. The face team spends most of the match getting the hell beaten out of them in a stunningly one-sided encounter that hurts the match quality somewhat. Saez looks particularly strong throughout, nailing several big moves on all three girls at one point.</p><p> </p><p> The Stone Soliders try to rally, stun Saez briefly, and set up for the Stone Fall (Springboard Hart Attack), only for Saez to fight free and shove Sugiyama into the ropes, dislodging Mushashibo as she prepares to jump. The Uprising barge in, Quinzel clotheslines Tsumura out of the ring, and then they give Sugiyama a scary Rising Tide (Modified Sky Lift Slam), on the outside, with Sugiyama left coughing up a blood capsule after she hits the ringside mats. Meanwhile, Saez is in the ring finishing the match with a Leaping Side Suplex on Mushashibo for 3.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Team Norteamericano def. Team Faces via pinfall (Saez pins Mushashibo) at 9:11</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 52</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="ytBvNDA.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ytBvNDA.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="etOqb5w.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/etOqb5w.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Shiori Jippensha vs. Lady Lotus</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> This match comes out pretty good, as Lotus is on her game tonight and bumps around like a pinball for Jippensha. Jippensha seems to find a new gear in this one as someone seemingly obsessed with victory here at all costs, as she seems to be really motivated today.</p><p> </p><p> Lotus tries to get in some speedy offense, but Jippensha is having none of it, shutting out Lotus from doing much of anything. Lotus does get in a beautiful counter when she lands on her feet after being thrown with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, following up with a dropkick to the teeth. However, Lotus's brief flurry dies out when Jippensha counters a Tornado DDT by throwing Lotus almost halfway across the ring, before taking over again.</p><p> </p><p> From there on, Jippensha has control, even when the lovely Fuyuko Higa makes another appearance ringside to bother Jippensha in the middle of the match. About a dozen suplexes of any variation you can think of follow that (German, Tiger, Dragon, Belly-to-belly, Head and Arm, Northern Lights, etc). Eventually Jippensha hits the Execution Day (Scoop Brainbuster) on Lotus, cinches in the Jippensha Leglock (Grapevine Ankle Lock), and wrenches it hard until Lotus taps to save her knee. Jippensha celebrates the win, as Higa claps politely and leaves quietly, security force in tow.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Shiori Jippensha def. Lady Lotus via submission at 10:19</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 65</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="ytBvNDA.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ytBvNDA.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="aDF3DSi.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/aDF3DSi.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="I5FBwBx.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/I5FBwBx.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="S5zYtKU.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/S5zYtKU.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="QPFYrDH.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/QPFYrDH.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Post-match we check in with a number of people. Shiori Jippensha talks briefly about how she's getting into that gauntlet match and won't let ANYONE get in the way of her title hopes, Yuma Maruya looks forward to the upcoming Scramble match and resolves to defend the belt once again, Chiyeko Kita continues taunting Megumi Nakajima, and promises to have Team SUB choke both Nakajima and her mystery partner out, and Gemmei Oonishi and Miwako Katsukawa talk up their upcoming matches.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p>Rating: 57</p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="sJhu7eb.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/sJhu7eb.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="4LKURYk.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/4LKURYk.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="mXmc58q.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/mXmc58q.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="xlNkAyS.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/xlNkAyS.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="gUw5uvp.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/gUw5uvp.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="wQ9Yzya.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/wQ9Yzya.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>MAYA / Mystery Pink / Pinky Perez vs. Kaori Takenouchi / Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> A pretty decent six woman tag, although the match is a bit short, and the heel side seem to be a bit nervy and screw up some timing in the ring. The faces largely carry the match, and Pinky Perez is showing off her abilities as a real top-level workhorse, moving around the ring at dizzying speed on offense, while doing a great job selling when needed.</p><p> </p><p> Double Pink and Lethal Strike renew their prior issue, and its a good exchange of brutality versus agility. This time, however, Double Pink seem to get more of the offense, pushing back Thea and managing to deal with the dangerous Jankovic with good double teams. MAYA also proves to be a good hidden coin, using her technique and ability to neutralize and work over the heel-ish team in the matchup.</p><p> </p><p> Kaori Takenouchi tries to impose her will on the faces, but it only works on occasion. Takenouchi's influence backfires when a sucker punch followed by a Napalm Bomb (Sit-Out Powerbomb), gets countered by Perez into a hurricanrana that sends Takenouchi crashing outside into Zofia Jankovic. Mystery Pink does a Slingshot Crossbody to take out both of them for sure, then Perez finishes off Davis in the ring with the Pink Butterfly Powerbomb (Spinning Tiger Bomb) for 3 to get the win.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Team Pink Express def. Team Heels via pinfall at 13:19 (Perez pins Davis)</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 62</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="S5zYtKU.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/S5zYtKU.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="7aqiaVS.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/7aqiaVS.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Gemmei Oonishi vs. Simony Sentinel</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> A good little singles bout here, reliant on some fast-paced high-flying action. Oonishi wants to win this badly to have a good showing for the title match, but Sentinel certainly doesn't intend to make it easy for her.</p><p> </p><p> Sentinel takes control early, surprisingly winning a mat exchange and working over Oonishi lightning-fast just to show off. Sentinel shoves Oonishi outside, jams out in the ring, and then hits a baseball slide followed by a big dive within the 1st minute. Sentinel keeps on top of Oonishi, until missing a twisting forearm off the middle rope. Oonishi takes it to Sentinel with a flurry of lucha-inspired offense. Springboard hurricanrana gets 2. Middle rope backflip into a Reverse DDT gets 2.</p><p> </p><p> Sentinel manages to stuff a dropkick and takes back over, threatining a countout win after a big dive, but Oonishi makes it back in at 17. Sentinel keeps at it, and locks in an Octopus Abdominal Stretch, playing air guitar like Van Halen on Oonishi's ribs, and mixing in painful-looking short elbows to the ribcage. Oonishi guts it out though, and manages to make the ropes. Sentinel tries pulling Oonishi away, but Oonishi mule kicks Sentinel and finally gets the clean rope break from referee Odaka.</p><p> </p><p> The momentum swings back to Oonishi after that, and following a pair of Wheel Kicks and a Springboard Wheel Kick, Oonishi goes up for the finish........ Flying Dagger Legdrop (Top Rope Front Flip Rough Ryder)! That gets the 3 count, and Oonishi gets a tough win!</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Gemmei Oonishi def. Simony Sentinel via pinfall at 14:34</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 64</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="zUFAzFy.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/zUFAzFy.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Yu Hashimoto is backstage (with Maki Yoshifumi shadowboxing in the background). Yu wanted the title shot in the Scramble match, but events have conpsired to keep her out of things. However, Yu has a more interesting target: Alicia Strong's open challenge. If Alicia Strong wants a beating from the best in Japan, that can certainly be arranged, so Yu Hashimoto will formally answer the call-out and knock Alicia Strong out cold.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><em>Rating: 51</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="ZoM1wH5.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZoM1wH5.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="K34xbzQ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/K34xbzQ.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="zUFAzFy.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/zUFAzFy.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="eqRIrjY.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/eqRIrjY.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="QPFYrDH.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/QPFYrDH.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="kFF47yY.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/kFF47yY.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Fuyuko Higa / Maki Yoshifumi / Yu Hashimoto vs. HEART Saitoh / Miwako Katsukawa / Eri Sato</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> The pre-match hijinx sees Oonishi trying to stay ringside to support her firend, only for Higa's security force to rush in and carry her kicking and screaming up the opposite ramp of Higa as she makes her entrance. HEART Saitoh is not amused about this to say the least, and neither are many of the fans in attendance.</p><p> </p><p> The match itself is the usual great 5SSW multi-woman tag, and ends up being a showcase for the ever-improving Miwako Katsukawa, whos looking more and more like a possible future ace. Katsukawa finds a new gear here, and shines brightly in this match, or at least as much as you can shine while sharing a ring with Fuyuko Higa. Katsukawa starts with Hashimoto and refuses to give ground to the taller girl, eventually dropkicking her into the corner.</p><p> </p><p> Yoshifumi tags in and gets intense. Katsukawa was beaten by Yoshifumi for the All-Asian title earlier this year, but Katsukawa fights her evenly, blocks most of the damage from Yoshifumi's vicious strikes, and even counters a <strong>HEAD KICK</strong> by gracefully sweeping the plant leg of Yoshifumi with perfect timing.</p><p> </p><p> Higa and Saitoh then tag in and things escalate even further. Saitoh comes in a house of fire, wanting Higa to suffer badly for betraying Oonishi, and hits Higa with a barrage of forearms. Higa eventually picks it apart and mockingly takes apart Saitoh with harder forearms, taunting Saitoh and Oonishi. Saitoh manages to fight back and hammers Higa with repeated Back Brain Kicks, literally kicking her back into her corner like a sack of garbage to get tagged in by Yoshifumi.</p><p> </p><p> The match goes back and forth. Eri Sato makes some impact, landing the Sato Tornado (Spinkick to a cornered opponent) on both members of Torment and Sorrow at one point, but neither Sato or Saitoh can hold off the heels for long as the match progresses, with only Katsukawa's spirit keeping things close. Eventually though, Sato is isolated, and Higa hits her with a big running knee to the jaw while Sato is propped up in the corner. Higa goes to taunt the crowd, but notices Saitoh going up top at the last second...... Flying Tiger Knee (Top Rope Busaiku Knee) from Saitoh, but its blcoked with a cross arm block by Higa, whos sent rolling backwards from the impact!</p><p> </p><p> Saitoh tries to follow up with a running clothesline, but Higa recovers her bearings, backs away to the ropes, and lowers the top one as Saitoh charges over and out. Higa goes back to the beleaguered Sato..... Perfection Sweep (Skull Crushing Finale)! 1......2.....Katsukawa can't get past Torment and Sorrow to make the save.....3! Higa's team takes the victory!</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Team Higa def. Team Saitoh via pinfall at 19:31 (Higa pins Sato)</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 76</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="ZoM1wH5.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZoM1wH5.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Post-match, Higa is in a state of glee, taunting the audience for being stupid enough to think Oonishi's deadweight partner can lead a team to glory. Higa says she's accumulating allies for the fight ahead, gives plaudits to Torment and Sorrow, the Hell Raisers, and Team SUB for "seeing the light", and wants tonight's victory to be seen as a preview of what's to come in 5SSW. Higa mentions that despite all the obstacles placed in her path by this silly Scramble match, she will overcome them, take the belt from the false champion Yuma Maruya, and beat her so badly that her husband Kozue Kawashima will have to dump her "and get a new whore to play with instead". With nowhere to go but down after that insult, Higa drops the mic and walks off to some ferocious booing from the crowd......</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="38BdHBV.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/38BdHBV.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> ......Only to see 5SSW VP Kaiya Kuwahara come down the entranceway! Kuwahara is furious, and says first of all Higa is being fined a night's pay for that completely classless and unwarranted remark on Maruya and her husband. Kuwahara has half a mind to take away Higa's title shot, but won't do it, because Higa would complain about 5SSW not giving her a fair chance. So Kuwahara will give Higa another chance to blow it and prove that she isn't actually Miss Perfection, so she'll stay in the match.</p><p> </p><p> But Higa will have two tough opponents besides Yuma Maruya. The first one is a former world champion who has waited a long time to get another crack at the belt....... "The Excellence of Execution", Shiori Jippensha! Higa smiles and seems to actually be cool with that choice.</p><p> </p><p> And the 4th person in the match will be........ Higa's former tag team partner and a former winner of the J Grand Prix, Gemmei Oonishi!</p><p> </p><p> Higa is FREAKING OUT, yelling incoherently in rage at Kuwahara as the show comes to a close!</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><em>Rating: 75</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="font-size:12px;">OVERALL SHOW RATING: 73</span></strong></p><p><strong> ATTENDANCE: 364</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p>

Would anyone be able to hit me up with some blue and red attire recolours for Luchadora Original please? Considering putting a young lion in my 5SSW diary under a mask, but there aren't too many luchadora free pics available. (Or if anyone has some general luchadora free pics that could work too, depending on the masks.)

Shogun TV Presents: 5SSW Wrestle Challenge Tour Night 4 Monday/Week 2/June/2020 --- The penultimate event of the Wrestle Challenge Tour is here! Pieces can still fall in place for the title dreams of various wrestlers, so watch along only on Shogun TV, or attend the event live at the Seishuu Academy Gymnasium in Osaka! In our opening match, the veteran team of Ochiyo Iijima and Hana Ajibana take on the American duo known as Synchro Wave. Up second is a Triangle title eliminator. Sae Akutagawa will defend, and MAYA has a rematch lined up, meaning that the open spot will be battled for by Machiko Matsuda, Unstoppable Tai, and Mio Takasu! A North American team-up is up next, as the 5SSW Tag Team Champions Talia Quinzel and Selina Svelte ally with bruising Mexican powerhouse Ursula Saez to take on Otsune Tsumura and the Stone Soliders. Next up is singles action featuring Shiori Jippensha's quest for another title opportunity, as she takes on the wily Lady Lotus. Back to six-woman tag action again in the 5th card, as we'll see MAYA team with the luchadoras Double Pink to take on Kaori Takenouchi and the European team known as Lethal Strike. Gemmei Oonishi is in singles action in the co-main, and she'll be doing battle with the punk rocker gaijin Simony Sentinel! Finally, our main event sees Fuyuko Higa teaming with the dangerous duo Torment and Sorrow, taking on the trio of HEART Saitoh, Miwako Katsukawa, and Eri Sato. Saitoh has no love for Higa after Higa's brutal turn on her tag team partner Gemmei Oonishi, so expect some explosive tension in this main event! Also, we will finally hear the other two participants of the Wrestle Challenge World title scramble match announced by 5SSW VP Kaiya Kuwahara! Don't miss it! --- PREDICTION KEY: Ochiyo Iijima / Hana Ajibana vs. Ava Anderson / Lily Snyder Triangle Title Eliminator: Machiko Matsuda vs. Unstoppable Tai vs. Mio Takasu Ursula Saez / Talia Quinzel / Selina Svelte vs. Otsune Tsumura / Kaede Sugiyama / Kinuye Mushashibo Shiori Jippensha vs. Lady Lotus MAYA / Mystery Pink / Pinky Perez vs. Kaori Takenouchi / Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic Gemmei Oonishi vs. Simony Sentinel Fuyuko Higa / Yu Hashimoto / Maki Yoshifumi vs. HEART Saitoh / Miwako Katsukawa / Eri Sato

(OOC: No idea how this one will come off, but here's Alicia's side of things. Next prediction key on Monday. Stay safe out there, and Happy Halloween!) --- Wednesday/Week 1/June/2020 Ghost Ultra Lounge Osaka, Japan Some of the 5SSW gaijin had gathered for some post-show drinks at the awesomely named Ghost Ultra Lounge in Osaka (OOC: Actual IRL Osaka bar, not kidding.). A section was cordoned off and bottle service was paid for...... but this wasn't a party, this was business. The gaijin had gone 3 shows without some type of issue from recent noted headcase and newest 5SSW signing Alicia Strong. To some of them, that was 3 shows more than they were expecting. So something was up, and this meeting was to determine what it was. Erin and Simony were off to the side doing their own thing, blissfully unaware of the proceedings. Well, Erin was the unaware one, as she had drank a mere two beers and was re-enacting what appeared to either be a drunken square dance or Big Smack Scott's signature taunt in SWF 2K21. Simony was aware of the talk going on, but chose not to be a part of it, and was in the process of trying to herd Erin back to her seat. Paige Croft and Talia Quinzel took a minute to bemusedly look on the antics, before Talia picked up the conversation. "Look Alicia, Paige is being nice to you because she's nice to everyone, and she doesn't want to say it. So I will. We've been on pins and needles since it was announced that you were coming here, we've got a good thing going here that doesn't need to be screwed up, we've been waiting for the meltdown we all know is coming, and I'm sick of it. So I want to know two things. Why did you really leave USPW, and are you gonna cause us trouble and drama down the line like you did over there?" "I'm not here to cause trouble, I'm here to wrestle awesome people in a main event spot and have a good time. As for why I left, read the dirtsheets." "Read the dirtsheets. Right. Cause they've never lied before." "The guys at TEW didn't. I should know, I gave them a lot of the source material for my exit. They put their own spin on things, but the reasons there are true." "So you gave up a spot that all of us would kill to have, to what, wrestle Yuma Maruya and Fuyuko Higa? Why not just bring them over to America?" Alicia cackled at that. "Do you think I HATE them? God no! I wouldn't bring anyone over to USPW, because they'd just pay you for doing nothing and make you overweight off catering." "You still walked away from a spot that all of us would kill to have. You made millions, you won the Womens title like 50 times, you had it all. And you threw it all away for what, some stupid drama?" "So you want my spot, is that it? You want the money, the TV time, the prestige? Is that it? Do you have any idea how shallow that is? Do you know what you have to deal with to get that spot?" Alicia slammed back a shot of cognac before continuing. "For one, you have to deal with the fact that you can have the best match every night, be the best worker on the card, have the most entertaining skit or angle or whatever on the show, and you'd still be a sideshow. This happened even when my Dad was running things. People say oh but Sam Strong set the women's division up for his daughter to succeed! No, we were a sideshow. We worked hard, we did everything right, we were still a sideshow." "And then here comes Allen Packer, and the move to Reverie and a big on-demand audience, and Reverie making noise about being a progressive, inclusive, forward-thinking company. We think we'll get more exposure, we think the women's division will be taken seriously and what happens? They hire a bunch of the AAA girls to sit around and eat catering instead of wrestle, they give us one big main event of me vs. Jaime Quine, and then nothing." "So I go to Allen Packer's office, and say that the one big show with a women's main event did well, and Reverie is pushing female-centered content lately, and I just want us to get a fair shake. Give us another shot at the main event. Give us more time on the shows. Use that new one-hour show USPW Unexpected to get all the underneath girls they hired over. And Allen gives me the big corporate buzzword speech and the run around and says hey, maybe we'll do it again, but probably not, and the impression I get is that the reason they aren't giving us what we want is because we're women, and we need to stay in the corner with our little 6 minute matches and our one promo a show, and let the men sell the tickets and get the credit." "Then they force Robbie Sanchez off the head booker spot, the ONE GUY who gave a damn about the company from an in-ring perspective. They give the book to Rich, and Rich won't let anyone mess with his main event spots and his precious feud with Nicky Champion. So we're just left adrift. We're better than any of those steroid freaks they hire. We're better than Steve Frehley, we're better than Running Wolf, we're better than Rich Money, we're better than Enygma. We're as good as Nicky Champion, but thats a wash cause he has no one to work with. We're better than all the other guys. So why is it that every time we keep reaching for that brass ring, we get our hand slapped away from it?" Alicia sighed deeply and drank another shot of cognac. "Oh but hey, if you still wanted my spot so bad, here's another thing you'd have to deal with! When you go backstage, you notice a few of the guys there like to play grab-ass! No one did that to me, thank God, not even guys like Redwood when they were around. But that was because I had the last name Strong, so the blowback would've been huge. But I've heard AND seen Atlas, Anthony Trask..... I think a couple others..... they get creepy with the girls sometimes, and I didn't like that. I wanted to stand up and do something about that for quite a while, but the girls either thought it was harmless locker room guy stuff, or they were worried about losing their job for speaking out. So I had to sit through that." Alicia threw back another shot of cognac, while shaking her head in frustration. "People would say I went insane, and just started a bunch of drama for no reason to get out of a good spot with the biggest company in the world. I spent almost 15 years, 15 YEARS watching the company screw us over! ANYONE would go insane if they had to work there, but I put up with it and put up with it and thought "Maybe tomorrow will be different.". It almost NEVER was. At least when I work over here in 5-Star, I know that if any guy plays grab-ass with us backstage, Ogiwara would slap them, stretch them, and fire them. At least when I work here, I won't lose my spot to some oiled-up steroid freak.......... I should've left years ago......." Alicia looked on the verge of tears almost, but shrugged it off a bit and downed some more cognac, before nodding in the direction of a plastered Erin Marcelin, seated in the booth a few meters away. "Look at Erin over there. She's so young, she's got so much potential. Erin has NO IDEA how good she could be. If she went to USPW tomorrow, they'd chew her up, they'd spit her out, they'd waste her. Erin's better than some of the talent they're trying to push already, and she hasn't even been in the business for a year yet! My heart would BREAK to see that kid go into USPW. She'd eventually get hot over something like a guy playing grab-ass or a booker playing jack-ass, and maybe decide to solve her problems with that left hook of hers. And maybe get sued over it or something. It's all bull****. To hell with them." Alicia raised yet another shot of cognac. "Here's to us. At least over here, we can reach for that brass ring, and not get our hand slapped away, and get told "No, you can't have that brass ring cause you're a woman." We can put on better shows than ANYONE in the world. We can show USPW what a women's division is really supposed to be. I won't screw things up for any of you. You have my word on that......." Paige raised her glass to that. Talia did too, but was a little more reticient. Talia really wanted to believe Alicia, and felt her pain through her words, but......... reputations took years to create, and seconds to undo. Alicia had spent many, many seconds undoing her reputation in 2020. Truth be told, there was always suspicions of how Alicia was a jerk in the business, and it was a longstanding rumour in AAA that Joanne Rodriguez didn't get a USPW contract because Alicia was worried about being overshadowed. Plus her dad was a real politician back in his HGC days. This could all be carefully calculated bull****. But, Talia made the decision to trust Alicia, and believe her. For now. The three ladies toasted, while Simony prepared for the Herculean task of getting a completely bombed Erin to her feet so they could go back to the boardinghouse......

OOC SHOW NOTES: -Another okay-ish tour show. This was another one that required a bunch of re-booking to get everyone their wins, hence some of the random team-ups. -Iijima was miserable in the opener holy moly. Needless to say her momentum has cratered and shes just past her sell-by date. -Gamma War Unit win seemed like a bit of a surprise, but I'm setting up for something, and also the two have good team chemistry. I also kinda like their gimmicks and the finisher name I came up with for Takasu. They'll never be tag champs because the division is so deep, but they'll be competitive with some teams. -Matsuda/Marcelin might seem a bit random but I'm doing a Triangle title contender match, so I gave Matsuda an extra win to justify her presence in it. -I still find it dumb that tag chemistry bonuses sorta disappear in tags beyond 2v2. I've had to put Synchro Wave in a couple multi-woman tags that limit what they can accomplish (They were supposed to take on Team SUB in a 2v2 but that fell through when I needed more winners.). At least the match turned out well due to the heel team collectively bringing their working boots. -The other multi woman tag was bad and I'm not sure why. I may have accidentally put open match into the 4v4 or something. I feel like Katsukawa's gotten lost in the shuffle a bit since her draw against HEART Saitoh earlier, which was supposed to be the start of her elevation into bigger things. But I left her out of the trios tournament because she would have lost in the first round most likely, and she got lost in the May tour too for whatever reason. She'll be in the mix though for the big event and the J Grand Prix. -Sato vs. MAYA was a masterpiece, as I've now progressed the roster far enough to have a main event quality match without relying on the usual suspects. Awesome that this was as good as Nakajima/Maruya to start the dynasty, which says a lot about momentum's influence on match ratings. -Strong is starting to catch on with the promos now, and I think her gimmick is improving too. -Main event tag match was a bit weird. A lot of the re-sims gave this a 74/73 rating, and eventually a 75 popped out, but the Hell Raisers and Zofia were not as good as they could've been. A 77 probably could've been possible if everyone in the match didn't get pinged for consistency and if I high-rolled all 8 workers otherwise. As it is though, it wasn't a terrible in-game main event, although I do think there are people who would wonder why Alicia is teaming with Maruya when the money is with them feuding. Well........we'll see what happens later. -I am sorta worried that I may have peaked the diary with the Women of Wrestling tour, cause a lot of those shows from a writing perspective were "instant awesome, just add Higa". I do know from tests though that the J Grand Prix is gonna be terrific. JoshiMania is also going to be a fairly cut-and-dried tour and big show. It'll be great from a ratings standpoint, so hopefully the writing lives up to it. -Next update might be a while to come out. Some big backstage happenings will be taking place over the next couple tours, and the next one will be the first check-in with Alicia Strong. This will probably go in a different direction than y'all probably expected, but it'll be a good character update.... --- PREDICTION STANDINGS: ampulator: 91/97 KyTeran: 69/90 Teasenityrn: 14/15 Mokoa: 16/23 medla: 14/23 joshbrady91: 8/8 Strech: 8/8

Shogun TV Presents: 5SSW Wrestle Challenge Tour Night 3 Wednesday/Week 1/June/2020 Nekketsu High School Gymnasium Osaka, Japan --- We get the intro spiel from the announcers, and Kaiya Kuwahara comes out to run down the card and highlight important matches and thank the crowd for their support as per usual. This was fine. Rating: 64 --- vs. Ursula Saez vs. Ochiyo Iijima A one-sided mugging masquerading as a match here, with Iijima getting the hell beaten out of her throughout. A couple attempts at striking and fighting back are met with indifference, and Saez counters a desperation Paralysis Thumb Strike (Samoan Spike) from Iijima by grabbing the arm and reeling her in for a spinning belly to belly suplex. Saez follows that up with some clubbing strikes, a ripcord forearm, and then the Leaping Side Suplex for an easy 3 count fall. Result: Ursula Saez def. Ochiyo Iijima via pinfall at 4:33 Rating: 37 --- vs. Shining Force (Otsune Tsumura / Yukiko Matsumara) vs. Gamma War Unit (Kaori Takenouchi / Mio Takasu) Not a bad little match here. Even with two lower teams on the pecking order, it's kept close and has some decent action throughout. Otsune Tsumura looks better in this match than she has in quite a while, and Matsumara tries hard to rally her fanbase into the swing of things with some big high-flying. The Gamma War Unit show some good chemistry as usual, working together well, and it leads to them getting a big win, when Takasu dodges a Tsumura crossbody thanks to a shouted warning from Takenouchi, and then Takasu nails Tsumura on the rise with the Headshot(Yakuza Kick). Takenouchi tackles Matsumara before she makes the save, and the Gamma War Unit take home a win! Result: Gamma War Unit def. Shining Force via pinfall at 9:54 (Takasu pins Tsumura) Rating: 55 --- Yuma Maruya is backstage for a promo, and she's excited for the chance to team with Alicia Strong and see what America's best is capable of. Maruya also wants to give the Hell Raisers a piece of her mind for allying with Higa, and is looking forward to tonight's main event. Rating: 71 --- vs. Machiko Matsuda vs. Erin Marcelin A chance for Matsuda to spread her wings in a rare crack at singles action, but the match isn't given a ton of time and is very basic. Erin still struggles with inexperience and not stiffing the bejesus out of Matsuda, but her technique and fundamentals are improving. Erin rallies late in the match after a period of sustained selling for Matsuda, lighting her up with a few flurries and a big Bus Driver Uppercut, but makes a misguided attempt to go up top for some type of move, and gets forcibly hauled down by Matsuda via a middle-rope DDT that spikes Erin into the canvas for a 3 count. Result: Machiko Matsuda def. Erin Marcelin via pinfall at 7:33 Rating: 53 --- vs. Paige Croft / Unstoppable Tai / Chiyeko Kita / Etsuko Arihyoshi vs. Ava Anderson / Lily Snyder / Kaede Sugiyama / Kinuye Mushashibo 5SSW midcard tags are like a potluck lunch; you never know what you're going to get, it generally isn't completely horrible, and theres at least one or two good things minimum. Sometimes though it's surprisingly good all-around, and this is one of those times. Everyone brings their working boots, everyone tries hard, and despite a bit of a perceived power level imbalance the match works just fine. Synchro Wave impress with double teams and some natural chemstiry, although the Stone Soliders put in some work too with some fast-paced double teams to try and take the initiative from the heel-ish teams. However, its ultimately not enough to take the win. The heel-ish team takes back control forcibly, with a combination of sneaky cheating from Paige Croft, physical dominance form Unstoppable Tai, and technical prowess form Team Sub sinking the Synchro Wave and Stone Soliders plans in the end. PAige Croft keeps trying to blind tag herself into the match to steal a win, but Team SUB put paid to that when Kita slaps the bejeezus out of Croft on the apron, tags in Arihyoshi, and they finish Mushashibo with the combination Superkick/Tiger Suplex for the 3 count. Result: Team Heels def. Team Stone Synchro via pinfall at 12:21 (Arihyoshi pins Mushashibo) Rating: 63 --- Chiyeko Kita is backstage for a brief promo, where she taunts Megumi Nakajima over their betrayal and calls her out for a match whenever she feels like it, and Team SUB will beat her again just like Higa did. We also cut to brief promos from Gemmei Oonishi and Miwako Katsukawa talking about their upcoming match. Rating: 51 --- vs. Gemmei Oonishi / Miwako Katsukawa / Selina Svelte vs. Lady Lotus / Toku Kijmuta / Hana Ajibana This tag match is not as good as the prior one and falls to pieces for several reasons. Part of it is the match not getting enough time and being rather one-sided, part of it is the weird dynamic with Katsukawa and Oonishi being paired with the heel-ish Svelte (who goes through the motions in this match big-time), and part of it is Lady Lotus and Toku Kijmuta getting lost on a few double teams and other weird sequences. Hana Ajibana works hard to try and rally her team with a string of suplexes, and Lady Lotus gets back into it with some cheat-at-all-costs tactics that isolate her favourite opponent, Miwako Katsukawa, for quite a while. However, Katsukawa finally manages to break free from their grasp by flipping out of an Ajibana Back Suplex and tagging in Oonishi, who cleans house, bundling Kijmuta and Lotus out of the ring with lucha-inspired offense, landing a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker followed by a running single foot dropkick on Ajibana, then going up for the finish...... Ajibana staggers to her feet....... Flying Dagger Legdrop (Top Rope Front Flip Rough Ryder)! That gets the 3 count. Result: Team Oonishi def. Team Lotus via pinfall at 11:22 (Oonishi pins Ajibana) Rating: 59 --- MAYA cuts a brief promo, saying she respects her opponent but needs the win here to get a shot for her Triangle title again. Rating: 52 --- vs. Eri Sato vs. MAYA A match between two possible future ace candidates, and boy is it a good one. No special chemistry or anything, just two talented gals on the come-up, given 15 minutes to work hard and have the best match possible. The work is hard and the best possible match might've very well been achieved. It starts fast, with MAYA using amateur style techniques mixed with modern chain wrestling, working Sato down to the canvas and riding her like a bucking bronco. Sato is outgunned in technique, and has to physically muscle out of the hold. The two get back to their feet, Sato throws a vicious rib kick, MAYA catches it and ankle picks Sato back down to the ground in a leglock, and Sato breaks it up by punching MAYA hard in the head. The match continues in that theme. Sato has to win by striking, MAYA has to grind Sato into the mat to exploit her main advantage in the match. MAYA takes a ton of damage before getting Sato down, but shes playing the long game, trying to wear down Sato's striking capabilities with attacks to the joints and general depletion of stamina. Eventually, it starts working when Sato tires late in the match, and falls prey to MAYA's deadly Triangle Choke! Sato fights it....... fights it...... and makes a desperation effort to get out of it with a massive Powerbomb from guard! Sato is fatigued and takes a while to make the cover though...... 1......2.....NO! MAYA kicks out! Sato tries to press the advantage and win, but a risky new Capoeira kick aimed at MAYA leaning against the ropes backfires, and Sato ends up hung up on the ropes after MAYA dodges. MAYA plucks Sato off the ropes for a big Backdrop Driver, before setting Sato up for her newly christened finish...... Steel Tower Drop (Slingshot Spike DDT)! 1......2......3! MAYA gets a big win en route to a rematch for the Triangle title! Result: MAYA def. Eri Sato via pinfall at 14:42 Rating: 69 (nice) --- Backstage we see Alicia Strong cutting a promo, and shes very interested in what her partners have to offer, and hopes for a good win tonight to add to her legacy. Rating: 70 --- vs. Alicia Strong / Mystery Pink / Yuma Maruya / Shiori Jippensha vs. Romi Yamato / Sae Akutagawa / Zofia Jankovic / Thea Davis There's some buzz for this match for sure, as fans are curious as to how Alicia Strong would do on the same side as Yuma Maruya, although this match received some criticism from the magazines when announced, as people were wanting Strong vs Maruya instead of having them team. For what it's worth, there are teamwork problems on the Team Maruya side of things. Shiori Jippensha is the chief problem causer however, seeming to frequently want to tag in and get the win for herself in situations where Maruya or Strong are rolling along. Jippensha also seems wary of her two other partners. Maruya tries to alleviate this by chatting up Jippensha on the apron, but it doesn't always work. The match starts with Strong strutting her stuff against the Hell Raisers. Both try to use their power and size advantage to keep control of the match, but Alicia's seen this all before and counters pretty much everything they try, whether its Yamato's strikes or Akutagawa's technique. Zofia Jankovic comes in and gives Strong some serious pause with her brutal striking, and even manages to get out of close combat when Strong tries to trap her with technique. Strong has to rely on her athleticism and speed, but Jankovic puts paid to that with a wicked spin kick to the ribs that catches Strong dodging the wrong way. Jankovic hauls up Strong for the Demon's Bane (Go 2 Sleep), but Strong slips out of it, applauds Jankovic for her abilities, and then tags in Maruya. As the teamwork issues start to flare up, the Hell Raisers and Lethal Strike work their way back into the match, although both teams seem to be working at 3/4 speed, very methodical, and not necessarily in a good way. Still, the action is fine, and theres a good sequence where Lethal Strike isolates Mystery Pink and renews their issue from last tour, working her over in the corners of the ring with ruthless brutality. Pink finally escapes the clutches of Lethal Strike, when she breaks free from a Decapitator Elbow combo and tags in Maruya. Hurricanranas! Dropkicks! Wheel Kicks! Flying Cross Chop to Akutagawa sends her out of the ring! Handspring flip into a Reverse DDT on Davis! Split-Legged Moonsault gets 2 on Davis, before Jankovic saves. Strong jumps the ropes and cuts her off, clotheslining her out, and then following with a big running back plancha off the apron, taking out both Hell Raisers and Jankovic! Maruya prepares to go up to the top for the finish, but Jippensha begs for a tag to get off a bigger move for the pin. Maruya hesitates, but obliges. Jippensha lifts Davis as Maruya goes up...... 5-Star Finish (Back Suplex/Flying Flip Neckbreaker)! 1......2...Maruya blocks a save from Akutagawa.....3! Jippensha gets a win to cap off a fairly good match, but there was room for improvement...... Result: Team Maruya def. Team Akutagawa via pinfall at 19:44 (Jippensha pins Davis) Rating: 75 --- OVERALL SHOW GRADE: 72 ATTENDANCE: 369

Shogun TV Presents: 5SSW Wrestle Challenge Tour Night 3 Wednesday/Week 1/June/2020 --- From the Nekketsu High School Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan, a 3rd night of high level action awaits on 5SSW's Wrestle Challenge tour! Join us live at the venue or watch along on Shogun TV! In our opening match, Ursula Saez continues her rise through the ranks, taking on veteran martial artist Ochiyo Iijima. Next up, the veteran tag duo Shining Force take on the armed forces-inspired tag team known as the Gamma War Unit. Machiko Matsuda gets some singles action next, taking on the Canadian young lion Erin Marcelin. A group of people of unpleasant dispositions team up next, with Unstoppable Tai, Paige Croft, and Team SUB taking on Synchro Wave and the Stone Soliders in a 4v4 tag match. Gemmei Oonishi, Miwako Katsukawa, and Selina Svelte team up in the 5th match, taking on Lady Lotus, Toku Kijmuta, and Hana Ajibana. Two of 5SSW's possible future main players face each other in the co-main, with the striker Eri Sato against the technician MAYA. Finally, our main event sees former champions from three countries ally in a special 4-on-4 tag match. Alicia Strong, Mystery Pink, Yuma Maruya, and Shiori Jippensha team up, but they've got two tough teams opposing them on the other side: The Hell Raisers and Lethal Strike. Can the North American and Japanese blend come out on top, or will the physical Japanese and European duos take the win? --- PREDICTION KEY: Ursula Saez vs. Ochiyo Iijima Otsune Tsumura / Yukiko Matsumara vs. Kaori Takenouchi / Mio Takasu Machiko Matsuda vs. Erin Marcelin Paige Croft / Unstoppable Tai / Chiyeko Kita / Etsuko Arihyoshi vs. Ava Anderson / Lily Snyder / Kaede Sugiyama / Kinuye Mushashibo Gemmei Oonishi / Miwako Katsukawa / Selina Svelte vs. Lady Lotus / Toku Kijmuta / Hana Ajibana Eri Sato vs. MAYA Alicia Strong / Mystery Pink / Yuma Maruya / Shiori Jippensha vs. Romi Yamato / Sae Akutagawa / Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic

(OOC: Just a short character update today, prediction key for show #3 will be tomorrow afternoon/evening!) --- Erin and Simony's feet were a whirlwind as the J-POP song from the Dance Dance Revolution machine picked up tempo. Ted was watching from the side, keeping an eye out for the two women in the foriegn land. It was the 4th or 5th or....... who knows how many, but it was another trip that Erin and Simony took post-show to explore their surroundings a bit. Through the powers of Google, they found the best arcades in 5-Star's 3 city loop, and proceeded to regularly hit them up for a couple hours after a show, before Ted would usher them home on the last subway train to Osaka and the boardinghouse. Erin and Simony were having fun and becoming friends over the course of these past couple tours they worked together. They both had weird hair, they both had similar love for arcade games of various types, they both had athletic backgrounds, they were both social animals, and they both loved the business they were in, warts and all. Ted suspected there was also more than that keeping them close together, but there was no sense prying. Besides, he was still doubting his instincts a bit, given the absolute ass-kicking he received at poker today with the male 5-Star staff. (Referee Isao Takemura cleaned out 2 people with a full house, beating Ted's smaller full house and Referee Odaka's flush.) Still though, Erin and Simony were happy at least, and Ted was watching over them ensuring that they didn't get into any scrapes with mobsters or mobsters wearing police uniforms. It was another pretty good 5SSW card, if a little disjointed, Alicia Strong went a second show of being nice and not causing drama, and things were looking up. .........Well, there were some unhappy camps heard from today. Fuyuko Higa was still bitter about Alicia showing up and possibly taking her shine, and Ted also heard Higa ranting again about the fact she had to do the time limit draw with Oonishi. Ted wanted to shout at Higa to just grow up sometimes, but it wasn't his place to do such things, and from the looks of it, it wasn't going to be 5SSW owner Ogiwara's place to do anything about it either, other than let it slide and continue to push Higa as if nothing was happening. So annoying that Higa would get a free pass for all of this just beause she was a hell of a talent. But hey, at least she was a hell of a talent, and not Peter effin Valentine.... Meanwhile, another member of the rabble was also heard from, as the rumour going around was that Unstoppable Tai was disciplined in some way tonight, for the crime of needling poor Hana Ajibana about her push, and the fact that Tai was winning matches on TV and Hana wasn't. What kind of classless bully would you have to be to lord your accomplishments over a hard-working jobber? Why did Tai and Higa get born into this country with negative two out of 100 in terms of social awareness skills? Ted couldn't understand it. As Ted watched Erin and Simony argue over their Dance Dance Revolution machine being rigged for one player or the other, Ted smiled and sipped his questionable Japanese soft drink. Dealing with assholes like Higa, Tai, and whatever Alicia Strong might become would be worth it though. It was still better than being back in the office in Canada..........

OOC SHOW NOTES: -Once again, thanks to everyone for the comments and predictions. If you like this diary please pop by the DOTM thread and give some votes in the google poll to The Puppets Dance. Next Prediction Key will be on Monday, with a backstage bit in-between. -Another filler tour show with some predictable semi-squashes. Crowd probably liked it at least. -Saez feels farther below the level of Queen Amazon than she should be. The reason her match ratings have been better though is because I have her going 6 minutes instead of less than 5, which is a big deal in TEW-land. (I think they set rating limiting barriers at 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes. -Second match was the end result of the multiple re-bookings I did for this card. Had to get all these people their wins, and the resulting mishmash was a surprisingly terrible match. Choosing when to go Open Match and not go Open Match seems to have a big effect on certain ratings, but I've gotten above 60 on some of these big tags without going Open Match or using overpowering personnel. Weird. -Katsukawa/Takasu got the chemistry note! Don't think I used Open Match though or it would've been better rated. -Pinky Perez is starting to really heat up now, consistently doing over 70 for personal match ratings. With hindsight perhaps I shouldn't have bothered with Mystery Pink and run Perez as a single, but what can ya do. -Alicia Strong's starting to get things down promo-wise in other saves. This was another average match because it was all supposed to shine Alicia, but she may get a more competitive match soon enough....... -All Heart vs Synchro Wave was disappointing. Probably because of time, but I think I had a hard time getting All Heart's ratings high enough to bring the match to a 65 like I thought. I like Synchro Wave still though and they'll be hanging around a bit. -Main event might've fallen a little flat. I did have Nakajima ally with Team SUB twice before, but they weren't like a formal faction or anything so having them turn on Nakajima suddenly wasn't well executed. -Still though, Higa's building a little group of supporters. Hell Raisers are in, Team SUB is sorta backing her too. I wonder if this is leading to a big summer angle that was talked about in the TEW.com dirtsheet reports? Nah, its probably Higa not feeling safe with just her police escort and wanting to beef things up so no wayward Gemmei Oonishis come to attack her or something. -Meanwhile, Higa's promo ability is tanking a bit because of this morale thing. I think a couple prior boosts of Higa being happy with good booking disappeared, and Higa's still really salty over being asked to do the broadway with Gemmei Oonishi on the Hall of Fame show. You know too that Maruya would put Higa over a dozen times without complaint, but heaven forbid Higa doing that for someone else. She's Miss Perfection! -Probably gonna end up giving Higa a raise later though to smooth things out. After all, Higa's got what people in the negotiation world call "significant leverage". Best worker in the company. Best heel in the company. Most interesting character in the company. Takes up all the oxygen in the room. Wrestling is supposed to be about larger-than-life personalities duking it out for supremacy, and that's what Higa exemplifies. No wonder the forums hate her and think shes overrated. -Test sims for the J Grand Prix are looking great! Also, a couple of my later test sims shows have beaten USPW weekly TV, and I'm sure if that happens again we'll hear Alicia Strong crowing about it. --- PREDICTION STANDINGS: ampulator: 85/90 KyTeran: 65/83 Teasenityrn: 14/15 Mokoa: 16/23 medla: 14/23 joshbrady91: 8/8 Strech: 8/8

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="GYUe7nb.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/GYUe7nb.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="font-size:12px;">Shogun TV Presents:</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;"> 5SSW Wrestle Challenge Tour Night 2</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;"> Friday/Week 4/May/2020</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;"> Karasuno High School Gymnasium</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;"> Kyoto, Japan</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="38BdHBV.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/38BdHBV.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> The shows opens with announcer spiel and 5SSW VP Kaiya Kuwahara coming out. Kuwahara runs down the card and some of its future possibilities, and reminds everyone that title shots are still up for grabs. Kaiya thanks the fans for their support and walks back down the entranceway. This was fine.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><em>Rating: 67</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="erAE3w5.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/erAE3w5.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="nr0H7y3.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/nr0H7y3.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Ursula Saez vs. Erin Marcelin</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Surprisingly watchable contest here. Marcelin is still green, but does a passable job of exchanging fisticuffsmanship with Saez early on. Saez starts responding with some vicious clotheslines and clubbing blows. Sae then starts throwing Marcelin for distance, and reels off some good power moves in succession. Marcelin's in trouble here........ Leaping Side Suplex! That gets the 3 count and Saez continues her run.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Ursula Saez def. Erin Marcelin via pinfall at 5:31</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 50</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="zUFAzFy.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/zUFAzFy.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="UqJvBag.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/UqJvBag.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="AFBofo7.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/AFBofo7.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="wQ9Yzya.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/wQ9Yzya.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="EgHhLyR.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/EgHhLyR.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="JGHhvtW.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/JGHhvtW.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="iobILVo.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/iobILVo.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="BjC1KJ8.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/BjC1KJ8.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Yu Hashimoto / Talia Quinzel / Unstoppable Tai / Zofia Jankovic vs. Hana Ajibana / Kinuye Mushashibo / Otsune Tsumura / Yukiko Matsumara</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> An eclectic tag match here, and one that does not work out, as the audience sees the outcome as fairly obvious once Unstoppable Tai runs through the entire opposing team early on and roars with an air of dominance.</p><p> </p><p> Things don't get too much better for the face-ish contingent after that, although there are some efforts. Mushashibo combines with Ajibana for an improvised Stone Fall (Springboard Hart Attack), and Ajibana and Matsumara get in a few suplexes and lucha-esque takedowns and the like.</p><p> </p><p> Little good it does them in the end, however, as the heel-ish contingent shows their power by manhandling Mushashibo for an extended period towards the end and sinking her with Talia Quinzel's Spinal Trauma (Overhead Press Front Slam Backbreaker) for the 3 count.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Team Quinzel def. Team Jobbers via pinfall at 9:34 (Quinzel pins Mushashibo)</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 53</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="aDF3DSi.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/aDF3DSi.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Yuma Maruya checks in for a promo, talking about how she still has niggling injuries from the match and unwarranted post-victory assault by Higa, but shes working through them and is ready for action next week. Maruya promises a win in the scramble match at Wrestle Challenge and another successful defence. Usual good promo form Maruya.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><em>Rating: 71</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="QPFYrDH.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/QPFYrDH.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="fzlESSC.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/fzlESSC.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Miwako Katsukawa vs. Mio Takasu</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Pretty decent match here, if a little short. Katsukawa meshes well with the veteran brawler Takasu and the two produce a quite watchable display of hard-hitting vs high-flying that 5SSW fans are accustomed to.</p><p> </p><p> Takasu tries multiple times through the course of the match to take Katsukawa out with the Headshot (Yakuza Kick), but Katsukawa alertly gets away from the threat each time. Katsukawa responds with fast paced offense, and slowly Takasu begins to wear down.</p><p> </p><p> One final desperation Headshot from Takasu gets countered by Katsukawa grabbing the leg and smoothly transitioning into a Fisherman's Neckbreaker. Katsukawa then drives Takasu into the corner, crushes her with the Ultraviolet Beam (Twisting Handspring Flying Forearm), then finishes Takasu with the Katsukawa Bomb (Sunset Flip Powerbomb) for the 3 count.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Miwako Katsukawa def. Mio Takasu via pinfall at 9:27</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 56</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="QPFYrDH.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/QPFYrDH.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="sJhu7eb.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/sJhu7eb.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="Tlz7Qa6.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Tlz7Qa6.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="ytBvNDA.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ytBvNDA.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> We hear from several people via brief promos next. Miwako Katsukawa says she's happy with her win, and is hoping for either a title shot or a place at the table for the J Grand Prix. MAYA says she wants a win bad to get back into contention for the Triangle title she lost. Megumi Nakajima chimes in and says she needs to win the main event with her team to get back in the title hunt, and Shiori Jippensha doesn't say much, but says she'll win at all costs and shut some critics up.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><em>Rating: 54</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="mXmc58q.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/mXmc58q.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="sJhu7eb.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/sJhu7eb.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="APlokTw.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/APlokTw.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="etOqb5w.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/etOqb5w.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="gUw5uvp.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/gUw5uvp.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="tWGT8UZ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/tWGT8UZ.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Pinky Perez / MAYA / Machiko Matsuda vs. Lady Lotus / Thea Davis / Toku Kijmuta</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Another eclectic tag, but this one comes off really, really well. Everyone involved works hard, theres plenty of effort, and theres some good threads of storytelling involved.</p><p> </p><p> Pinky Perez keeps stealing the show lately, and today is no exception, as she does the work of 6 people and really shines in this match. MAYA also wrestles in a fired-up manner, as shes hungry for a crack at the Triangle title she lost. Lady lotus is inconsistent and blows some spots badly in the match, but adds a nice heel thread to keep her team focused on bending and sometimes outright breaking rules.</p><p> </p><p> Perez being such a dynamo of energy and MAYA being motivated means that Matsuda is in peril and targeted for much of the match. Lotus's team uses all manner of cheap shots to keep her cornered. A wicked combination Superbomb gets 2, but Perez saves and a giant pull-aprt ensues, giving Matsuda time to recover. Eventually Kijmuta gets back to business, beats Kijmuta up, whips her into the corner, and prepares for a body avalanche, only for Matsuda to dodge and tag in Perez!</p><p> </p><p> Perez runs roughshod on Kijmuta, and gives some to Davis too when she comes in. Lotus stays on the apron and its to her benefit. Headscissors and hurricanranas abound for the heel team. Rube Goldberg DDT to Kijmuta! Perez knows she can't get Kijmuta up for the finish, so in comes MAYA for a Double Spinebuster! 1......2......NO! Lotus breaks it up!</p><p> </p><p> MAYA keeps on the attack, but gets cut off by a cheapshot knee to the kidneys by Lotus while running the ropes. Kijmuta beats on MAYA for a bit, and tags in Lotus. Lotus gets in a couple move and goes for a Springboard clothesline, only for MAYA to grab the arm and counter into a Triangle Choke! Perez and Matsuda bolt off the apron to brawl with Kijmuta and Davis! Lotus fights to escape.......but passes out in the choke! Ref Odaka calls the match and awards it to the babyfaces!</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Team Pink Express def. Team Heels via stoppage at 13:02 (MAYA submission hold on Lotus)</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 67</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="yTxuXfo.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/yTxuXfo.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="lL30Zqr.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/lL30Zqr.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Alicia Strong vs. Kaede Sugiyama</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Strong comes out for her second match, with still some buzz surrounding her as she enters. Sugiyama battles hard, and takes it to Strong early with some techniques straight outta Canada, using Stone-influenced technique and high-flying to try and mount an offensive.</p><p> </p><p> Alicia seems to let Sugiyama feed into her, before sidestepping a risky Stone-Sault from Sugiyama and going to work. Back Suplex, Atomic Drop, Strong Punches put Sugiyama down. Sugiyama keeps trying to comeback, but Alicia wrestles as if she's seen it all before, countering Sugiyama mostly at will.</p><p> </p><p> Eventually, Alicia blocks a desperation wheel kick from Sugiyama, keeps hold of the leg, ducks two enzuigiris, and blasts Sugiyama with a lariat. Alicia revs up her engine as Sugiyama rises to her feet...... Strong Arm Tactic (High-Impact Running Elbow to the Temple)! Sugiyama's out and the 3 count is academic.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Alicia Strong def. Kaede Sugiyama via pinfall at 6:34</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 59</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="yTxuXfo.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/yTxuXfo.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Afterwards, Alicia Strong cuts a promo, saying she's had the appetizers, and is ready for the main course whenever 5-Star wants to serve it up. Alicia Strong has a legacy to maintain, and beating the best 5SSW has to offer will go a long way towards fufilling it. Alicia's a glib talker who sounds natural even in Japanese and this was fine.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><em>Rating: 68</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="S5zYtKU.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/S5zYtKU.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="eqRIrjY.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/eqRIrjY.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="kEWkdko.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/kEWkdko.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="mzVF5wy.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/mzVF5wy.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>All Heart (Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh) vs. Synchro Wave (Ava Anderson / Lily Snyder)</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> This match has some expectations behind it amongst die-hards, who regard Synchro Wave as being one of the most promising tag teams in the world (Not just promising women's tag teams mind you), and they're going up against two quality wrestlers staying together in spite of their loss during their tag title challenge two weeks ago.</p><p> </p><p> Unfortunately, HEART Saitoh and Ava Anderson are really off tonight, especially when working against one another, and some sloppiness disrupts things a bit. Still, Oonishi really impresses, showing some fire and riding the crowd's wave of support, and Lily Snyder does her best to pick up the slack on Synchro Wave's end.</p><p> </p><p> The match isn't bad, especially when Anderson gets to double-team a member of All Heart with Snyder and show that natural chemistry together that the gaijin duo possesses. Synchro Wave tries their best double team as the match passes the 11 minute mark, going for the Wave Motion Cannon (DWI), but a desperate chop block from Saitoh breaks up the move, allowing Oonishi to be free and headscissor Anderson right into the corner.</p><p> </p><p> Synchro Wave lose the momentum after that, and end up falling to All Heart when Snyder is bundled out of the ring, leaving a dazed Anderson alone to take the Flying Dagger Legdrop (Top Rope Front Flip Rough Ryder) from Oonishi for the 3 count. Good win for All Heart, and Synchro Wave continue to pick up a few new fans with each appearance.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: All Heart def. Synchro Wave via pinfall at 12:28 (Oonishi pins Anderson)</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 62</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="Tlz7Qa6.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Tlz7Qa6.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="zaZg1I3.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/zaZg1I3.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="I5FBwBx.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/I5FBwBx.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="ZoM1wH5.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZoM1wH5.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="z4uBriK.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/z4uBriK.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="IVupCz6.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/IVupCz6.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Megumi Nakajima / Etsuko Arihyoshi / Chiyeko Kita vs. Fuyuko Higa / Romi Yamato / Sae Akutagawa</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> This one is an appropriate main event for sure, antoher one in a good spell of tour show main events lately. Nakajima and Higa renew their prior issue, and the Hell Raisers and Team SUB have a pretty good battle throughout. Theres a good amount of quality and some heat to go with it.</p><p> </p><p> The story, however, has some confusing undertones. Team SUB do okay for themselves in the match, but over time, commmentator Umeko Karube notices that Team SUB seem to be constantly looking to Higa for a signal of some sort, which she doesn't give them. Team SUB also have a tendency of tagging in Nakajima quite often, and Nakajima starts to wheeze a bit as the match progresses and she takes more damage from the opposing team.</p><p> </p><p> Higa of course is in rare form, even managing to outwrestle the dangerous Arihyoshi at one point. Higa regularly taunts Nakajima in any situation, whether it's wrestling her, standing on the apron, or wrestling while Nakajima stands on the apron. Nakajima lets action do the talking, and does her best to get back at the top heel in the company. A good slick technical sequence, dropkicks, headscissors, and a hurricane DDT take down Higa, before Nakajima grabs Higa from behind........ Nakajima Straight Jacket (Straitjacket Suplex)! 1......2.....Akutagawa saves!</p><p> </p><p> Nakajima presses, but Higa gets time to escape and Nakajima starts to run low on stamina. Nakajima tags out to Arihyoshi, who does several light moves then tags an exhausted Nakajima back in. Nakajima looks incredulous at this, but hits some suplexes and dropkicks on Romi Yamato before tagging in Kita. Kita does barely anything and tags to Nakajima again. Nakajima's eyes narrow at that one, but she goes back into the ring and gets hammered by a Yamato lariat!</p><p> </p><p> Nakajima desperately tries to recover and fight through it, and manages to battle through both Hell Raisers. As Nakajima heads to her corner for the tag, Higa screams "NOW!"...... and Team SUB jumps off the apron and to the outside before Nakajima can tag! What the hell? Nakajima looks shocked, but shes not shocked for long, as the Hell Raisers wheel her around and blast her with the Kaenhousha (Total Elimination)!</p><p> </p><p> Akutagawa then literally kicks Nakajima while she's down, before hauling up a loopy Nakajima to her feet so Higa can give her the badmouth. Big slap from the apron by Higa! Odaka's not happy with any of this, but Higa tells him to shut up and get ready to count as Akutagawa ragdolls Nakajima with a sleeperhold for a bit. Higa then tags in, hauls up the lifeless Nakajima, preens for the crowd and...... Perfection Sweep (Skull-Crushing Finale)! 1......2.......3!</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>Result: Team Higa def. Team Nakajima via pinfall at 19:32 via pinfall (Higa pins Nakajima)</strong></p><p> <em>Rating: 75</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="ZoM1wH5.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZoM1wH5.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Post-match, Higa thanks Team SUB for seeing the light and aligning themselves with the winning horse. Higa then taunts Nakajima and says this is the end result of what happens when you go against her, and a few other people in the company would do well to remember that. Higa then urges the talented members of the 5-Star roster to make their choice now of whos side they're on, specifically mentioning Shiori Jippensha by name at one point as someone who needs to choose her loyalties. Higa then promises once again to survive the scramble match and win her 5SSW World title, before dropping the mic and walking off with a seeming faction in tow as the show fades to black.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><em>Rating: 68</em></p><p> </p><p> ---</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="font-size:12px;">OVERALL SHOW GRADE: 73</span></strong></p><p><strong> ATTENDANCE: 368</strong></p></div><p></p><p></p>

Shogun TV Presents: 5SSW Wrestle Challenge Tour Night 2 Friday/Week 4/May/2020 High-quality action continues leading into the summer months! Its the second round of the Wrestle Challenge Tour, eminating from the Karasuno High School Gymnasium in Kyoto, Japan, and only airing on Shogun TV! In our opener, Mexican brawler Ursula Saez takes on Canadian young lion Erin Marcelin. An unconventional alliance of four does battle next, as Yu Hashimoto, Talia Quinzel, Unstoppable Tai, and Zofia Jankovic team up to take on Hana Ajibana, Kinuye Mushashibo, and the veteran duo Shining Force. Singles action next sees a high-flying star reaching her prime in Miwako Katsukawa take on the armed forces brawler Mio Takasu. Six woman tag action follows, as Pinky Perez allies with the Kanto Express to take on Lady Lotus, Thea Davis, and Toku Kijmuta. Alicia Strong's second match in 5SSW awaits, as she'll take on an experienced cagey vet in Kaede Sugiyama. All Heart fell short in their bid to claim the Tag Team championship, but they'll get back on the horse, taking on the promising American tag team Synchro Wave in the co-main. And finally, our main event sees a high-profile six-woman tag bout, as Queen's Castle Cup finalists Megumi Nakajima and Team SUB take on Fuyuko Higa and the Hell Raisers, in what should be a great main event match! --- PREDICTION KEY: Ursula Saez vs. Erin Marcelin Yu Hashimoto / Talia Quinzel / Unstoppable Tai / Zofia Jankovic vs. Hana Ajibana / Kinuye Mushashibo / Otsune Tsumura / Yukiko Matsumara Miwako Katsukawa vs. Mio Takasu Pinky Perez / MAYA / Machiko Matsuda vs. Lady Lotus / Thea Davis / Toku Kijmuta Alicia Strong vs. Kaede Sugiyama Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh vs. Ava Anderson / Lily Snyder Megumi Nakajima / Chiyeko Kita / Etsuko Arihyoshi vs. Fuyuko Higa / Romi Yamato / Sae Akutagawa

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="nr0H7y3.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/nr0H7y3.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> A lot of people in the gaijin locker room were tense. This was D-Day, this was the moment. Alicia Strong, the front page headline grabber on every wrestling dirtsheet in the world of wrestling, was coming to 5SSW, and there wasn't a goddamn thing anyone could do about it other than hope for the best. If it was two Higas in the company, they'd just have to suck it up and deal with it.</p><p> </p><p> But Alicia came in, full of respect, chatted in Japanese with Kinuye Mushashibo, the foreign worker liaison, and greeted everyone in the gaijin section of the locker room heartily. Alicia even shook Erin's hand and praised her talent, saying she had promise. It made Erin feel warm and fuzzy inside, although everyone else suspected it was flattery to the naivest person in the locker room. They doubted Alicia could even spell Marcelin, let alone watch one of her matches.</p><p> </p><p> But Alicia caused no trouble, got dressed with everyone, seemed like one of the girls, and had a solid, pretty energetic squash match with Thea Davis. Alicia didn't miss a beat with the style changeover and looked ready for longer matches for sure.</p><p> </p><p> "I guess it makes sense." Simony said to Erin. "It would be beyond stupid to cause trouble on the first day."</p><p> </p><p> "I don't think she'll cause trouble at all though."</p><p> </p><p> Simony wanted to retort, but she let that one pass, just like the other 3 times Erin had said it. Simony really liked Erin, for many different reasons, but she was the youngest person here and the more mature people here wanted to just scream at her naievete. How could the person who had spent the past 5 months causing the biggest trouble the womens wrestling world had ever seen come into 5SSW and cause no trouble? It just couldn't happen, right?</p><p> </p><p> But still, Simony let it pass. No sense starting a fight when one was probably going to happen in two shows anyways. Besides, there was the chance, however small it may be, that Erin was right......</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p>---</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="rBQxkob.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/rBQxkob.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> Ted lay on his bed in the Osaka boardinghouse, staring at the tablet that gave him a window into his future.</p><p> </p><p> He had just clicked off his stock transactions for the day (portfolio and bank account growing), he had gotten a text message with a nice picture of Layla trying on a red dress that she looked great in, he had seen another pretty good wrestling card, and he even won some spare change in the guys pre-show poker game. Life was good this week.</p><p> </p><p> Of course, things weren't so good elsewhere in the 5SSW locker room. The gaijin side was tense because Alicia Strong was coming to town, presumably with all her emotional baggage being brought over on the flight to Osaka (although Alicia didn't unload it in the middle of the gaijin locker room, not yet anyways).</p><p> </p><p> The Japanese side of the locker room was tense too, as Ted overheard a snippet of conversation that was a bit worrisome. Fuyuko Higa was talking about how it was bad that Alicia Strong was coming in, because after all she would just cause problems for Higa like the rest of the gaijin, and maybe prank her with that stupid glitter bomb trap the gaijin rigged up for her earlier. Several people asserted that Higa had no proof of the gaijin having anything to do with it, but Higa was past petty things like evidence or innocence until proven guilty or anything like that.</p><p> </p><p> Maruya then commented about how it would be nice to have Strong aboard, cause it gave them another main event talent to work with to freshen things up a bit. And Higa took that only slightly better than you'd expect. Meaning no actual fight, but liberal uses of the Japanese pronounciation of words such as "idiot", "bastard", or "bitch".</p><p> </p><p> Still though, good day for Ted, and it was good to focus on the positives. There were good days ahead too, as the Initial Public Offering for CommPlanet was coming up soon, and Ted was planning on getting his fingers in that pie......</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p>---</p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> <em>OOC: Thanks for the kind words Tea!</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="49448" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><em>Don't beat yourself up over it. Not everyone can be a star.</em></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> It isn't that I want to make everyone stars, its that a bunch of people need wins to seem semi-credible going into the J Grand Prix, or the Triangle title contendership match, or because I plan on doing something with them later. It's a helluva jigsaw trying to fit it all in. Second card coming up in a couple days was even worse: it took 5 rebooks before I was satisfied with it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="49448" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><em>Direction? The only thing I'm shocked about is her rather "meh" grade against Thea Davis. Davis isn't great, but she isn't that bad.</em> </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> The direction thing was more about what Strong will be doing rather than the quality of what she'll be doing. The grade I sorta expected, because it was a 6 minute match with decisive win road agent note and no Open Match. Strong gets around mid-high 70s in test sims for longer matches, she'll be fine there.</p><p> </p><p> Prediction key up Tuesday! Stay fresh kids and squids!</p>